The Downpour Podcast

The Downpour Podcast is best described as an extension of the Oprainfall website. It goes beyond the news we report, and any editorial pieces we may write, in an effort to express our individual, unscripted, and relatively uncensored opinions of the niche developers, publishers and games we follow. We’ve even been known to step outside of “the niche” and discuss the medium at large!

The first few episodes were extremely experimental, somewhat sporadic, and led to a long hiatus. But, as of late 2012, co-owner Jonathan Higgins decided to take up The Downpour Podcast as a dedicated host. The early episodes feature a ton of the staff who all wanted to get together and let their voices be heard. But, over time, The Downpour Podcast is headed by Jonathan, Randy (its Managing Editor), and Jared.

Below, you can find a link to each episode, the staff members who appear on them, and a brief description of each detailing games/themes discussed. We hope you enjoy! Follow the newly launched Downpour Podcast Twitter!

  

EPISODE 1 (5/23/12): To New Beginnings
Appearing: Steven, Richard, Ryan, Yasmine

In this episode, Steven discusses campaign updates and the latest games from May/June 2012! He even has a surprise announcement near the end of the show.

EPISODE 2 (6/23/12): E3 2012
Appearing: Steven, Ryan, Fernandes, Rawlings, Kyle

This episode is a discussion of E3 2012. What were things like on the show floor? And what was it like for our staff who covered E3 2012 from afar?

EPISODE 3 (11/4/12): On That Day, Five Months Ago
Appearing: Jonathan, Richard Jared, Jeff 

This episode details our Campaign Hub, as well as games and anime from October. Pokemon, Code of Princess, and more!

EPISODE 4 (12/6/12) Looks Good on Paper
Appearing: Jonathan, Jeff, Kyle, Chris

Determined not to keep you waiting another five months, The Downpour Podcast arrives on the scene once again! Within: discussion regarding Paper Mario: Sticker Star, The Ys franchise, the Wii U, Mario, Xenoblade Chronicles and more!

EPISODE 5 (12/13/12) The Cloud ATLUS
Appearing: Jonathan, Fernandes, Jared, Scott

This episode focuses pretty heavily on games from Atlus (including Radiant Historia and Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor), various games and demos from the week of December 13th (like Rayman Legends, Crimson Shroud and Ni No Kuni), games America missed out on (Soma Bringer, Radical Dreamers), and much, much more!

EPISODE 6 (1/2/13) The World Isn’t Square Anymore
Appearing: Jonathan, Will, Oscar, Ben, Ceruleath

Enjoy a discussion on a publisher/developer that’s sure to cause plenty of polarization among staff members and our audience alike. For almost a full hour, the staff discusses everything about the company they’ve been dying to get off their chest since a few of our more popular news articles.

EPISODE 7 (1/16/13) To Spiral Out of Control (The Xenoblade Spoilercast) 
Appearing: Jonathan, Richard, Ryan, Jeff, Jared, Charlotte

The month of January has been absolutely insane for Operation Rainfall! Before all the crazy, the Operation Rainfall Staff decided to set aside January 18th, 2013 as the official recording date for the Xenoblade Spoilercast. Recall what happened two days before then, if you would. What started as a podcast centered around Xenoblade became the proper send-off to the campaign as a whole.

EPISODE 8 (2/12/13) Jonathan Visits Candy Store Tirade
Appearing: Jonathan, Charlotte, Jared, Randy

For over two hours, Jonathan and company gush about Fire Emblem: Awakening, Ni No Kuni, and the games and anime they love…occasionally going on tangents about things like The Legend of Zelda, Monolith’s “X”, the next console generation, and more!

EPISODE 9 (3/20/13) Blame James Cameron for Kingdom Hearts
Appearing: Jonathan, Randy

This one’s for you, Kingdom Hearts fans. Jonathan and Randy sit down on the fly to talk at length (and try not to bicker or argue back and forth like children) about the long-running franchise from Disney and Square-Enix. Every single game is discussed, and SPOILERS are rampant.

EPISODE 10 (3/26/13) The CrayCray PAX East Recap
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared

This time, Jonathan and Jared sit down to discuss PAX East 2013 (and Easter candy—fans of the Cadbury Creme Egg will appreciate this podcast). This one’s under an hour, ladies and gentlemen…straight to the point, with plenty of talking about games (the good and the bad) and the usual tangential humor.

EPISODE 11 (4/4/13) Après Moi, Le Déluge
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

The month of April has arrived, and with it comes another episode of The Downpour Podcast! Jonathan, Jared and Randy sit down to discuss the week’s news, the many games coming in April, and so much more. Anime fans have stuff to look forward to in this episode as well. Listen for discussion regarding From Up on Poppy Hill, Shin Sekai Yori and more! The show is filled with tangents and things that make Jonathan laugh, so it must be good…right?

EPISODE 12 (4/10/13) It’s a Chocobo Rip-Off
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

Join Jonathan, Jared and Randy once again, as they discuss Bravely Default, Level-5 and the PS4, the Playstation Vita, Final Fantasy VI, and more! You can tell what games are important to one podcast member by how hard the others laugh at him. In the last thirty minutes of the show, anime is talked up. What Studio Ghibli movie did Jonathan pick for his first ever viewing? Be sure to listen! We appreciate your feedback. Follow @DownpourPodcast on Twitter! And email [email protected].

EPISODE 13 (4/19/13) Not a Feverish Delusion
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy, Steve

Join Jonathan, Jared and Randy once again, as they discuss the recent Nintendo Direct, Pandora’s Tower, and other amazing games! There’s even a follow up on last week’s Vita discussion. After that, more anime talk to round out the show. Definitely a complete package this week! We appreciate your feedback. Follow @DownpourPodcast on Twitter! And email [email protected].

EPISODE 14 (4/25/13) Why Not?
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy, Ackk Studios

This week opens with a discussion on all the Nintendo news that came out this week Beyond that, expect lots of discussion on the handful of games we’ve been playing and the latest anime news as well.

What makes this week’s episode truly special, however, is that Jonathan, Jared and Randy got a chance to sit down with Brian and Andrew Allanson from Ackk Studios to discuss Two Brothers. Expect plenty of insights regarding the game’s origins and design, as well as what inspires its developers and how they worked as a team to create something truly unique.

EPISODE 15 (4/29/13) Retro Gaming History—Jonathan’s [EXPLETIVE] Passion
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

This week is a special episode of the podcast. While we certainly do touch on some happenings on the site, we devote much time to Jonathan, Randy, and Jared sharing their gaming stories. From childhood to youth to now, everyone has a story of how they got into gaming. And no one’s is ever the same, even when some strings of the intertwined web cross.

Have we been about niche RPGs and Japanese games our entire life? Or is there much more to each of us? It’s a lengthy show-and-tell, but we know that once you hear our stories, you’ll want to share your own—which we happily encourage! Tell us your gaming story in the comments below, share them on Twitter@downpourpodcast, or email us at [email protected]. We know you have your own story, and we would all love to hear them.

EPISODE 16 (5/8/13) Cut Him in Half, We’ll Count the Rings
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy, Jeff 

Jonathan and the regular crew give you the recent anime and gaming news. Jeff returns as a guest to talk about “Jeff’s Musings” and we all talk about our gaming backlog.

EPISODE 17 (5/13/13) The Sights and Sounds on the Cutting Room Floor
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

This week, there’s plenty of talk about games we’d like to see localized, the fanfare of the Nintendo Wii, Tales of Symphonia, and digital downloads. Games we’ve been playing include more Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete, Pandora’s Tower, Super Mario World and Solomon’s Key. There’s a discussion segment as well, but you’ll have to tune in to find out what it’s all about!

In anime this week: Attack on Titan (is anyone surprised?), turning Jonathan into a Crunchyroll subscriber, the differences between televised shows and the manga they’re based off of, and more! Stay tuned to the very end where we answer questions from our Twiiter & more! There’s plenty to listen to this week; this one should set the standard for future shows.

EPISODE 18 (5/22/13) The Downpour Oreo
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

Most of the oprainfall Staff are taking an extended weekend thanks to the holiday (trust us, with E3 coming—we’ll need the rest), but we won’t let that stop another episode of The Downpour Podcast!

This week’s show opens with talk about the most recent Nintendo Direct. What do Jonathan, Jared and Randy think about the Nintendo/Sega partnership & everything coming down the (warp) pipe this summer? After a diversion into the land of Sega, the gentlemen talk at length about Microsoft’s new Xbox One, and the feelings they all have going into the next console generation, now that all three juggernauts have been revealed. Some of what we have to say may surprise you.

Be sure to let us know how you feel about Xbox One, the coming Nintendo Direct(s), and anything else you’d like to see from the big three moving forward.

EPISODE 19 (6/03/13) Infinite Possibility
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

This week: Jonathan, Jared and Randy learned what would happen if they switched up who hosted the show and recorded a full week in advance. You may notice a few…interesting results as you’re listening. As far as news goes: Lots of Capcom love, some talk about figurines and toys (because comic book talk wasn’t off-the-rails enough), and the tiniest of hints and what may be coming from oprainfall during E3 2013. As for what we’ve been playing: get ready for a discussion about multiplayer gaming.

What makes this episode truly special, however, is that it includes an interview with some of the folks at Precursor Games—the ones behind Shadow of the Eternals.

EPISODE 20 (6/10/13) E3 Hype-cast!
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

This week, Jonathan, Jared, and Randy hit you with news as it comes during the lead-up to the 2013 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles. We give you the lowdown on everything up to this point.

In addition to talking about what we want, expect, or don’t expect from publishers and the big three (Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft), we also talk about what we’ve been playing. You might think that’s the usual and the norm, but thisweek, the whole crew actually played something together! We enjoyed a rousing game of…well, you’ll have to listen to find out.

EPISODE E3 2013 Day 1 (6/10/13) Day 1 Recap
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Richard, Scott

E3 is here in all its glory, and Jonathan, Jared, Richard, and Scott are all in Los Angeles to experience the year’s biggest show in gaming. And with that special privilege, they are able to bring you their own unique experiences from the conferences and the show floor.

Day 1 has wrapped up, and there were some big conferences: Microsoft, EA, and Sony. Boy, what a day! What is it like being at the mecca of gaming? What were the big shockers, the upsets, the…well, everything? Find out in our Day 1 wrap-up!

EPISODE E3 2013 Day 2 (6/11/13) Day 2 Recap
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Richard, Scott

Day 2 of E3 2013 has come and gone. Here again are Jonathan, Jared, Richard, and Scott to talk about the Wii U Showcase, Nintendo Direct, and hands-on impressions of games from the show floor.

EPISODE E3 2013 Day 3 (6/12/13) Day 3 Recap
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Richard, Scott

Day 3 of E3 2013 is in the bag. Here again are Jonathan, Jared, Richard, and Scott to talk about their day of meetings with developers and publishers, along with a day full of hands-on impressions from games only at E3. (Granted, some of Nintendo’s games are also on display at various Best Buys, but we’ve got those covered, too!)

Also, on behalf of the whole E3 crew, we apologize for the constant mix-up of Dakko Dakko’s game title. What they meant was Scram Kitty and His Buddy on Rails.

EPISODE E3 2013 Day 4 (6/13/13) Day 4 Recap
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Richard, Scott

The final day of E3 2013 has come to a close. We have been serving some awesome news all week, and we could not have brought you the wonderful hands-on experiences if not for our LA team consisting of Jonathan, Jared, Scott, and Richard. It’s been a long week for the crew, but they stride through it all to deliver their final thoughts on the show as a whole. We should also say that things get a little zany in this last installment, so you’ll be sure to get a kick out of the farewell episode of our E3 2013 daily recaps.

A special “thank you” to you, our audience, for coming to oprainfall as your source for all the wonderful news and impressions of this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo!

 EPISODE 21 (6/15/13) You Should Play it in HD Pictureyness
Appearing: Jonathan, Randy

This episode offers the perspective of someone who was not on the show floor at E3, after all the excitement of Los Angeles. Jonathan interviews Randy about his favorite announcements and impressions of E3 as a whole.

EPISODE 22 (6/20/13) It’s the Hammer, Isn’t It?
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

Technical difficulties aside, this episode returns to form. Join Jonathan, Jared and Randy as they all three return to discuss games, anime, and everything that hammers the two together. Discussions involve how hard it is to pick between the deluge of games in the fall, physical copies versus digital distribution, and more!

EPISODE 23  (6/27/13) We Might Be Wrong
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

This week! Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, ATLUS, and indie games are a big focus during the start of the show. After that, the crew gets into what they’ve been playing. There’s actually a bunch of talk about fighting games, the bizarre nature of Tails Adventure, and even a game we would never talk about here on oprainfall!

And this week in anime: Jonathan watched Spirited Away. That’s all there is to it.

…Okay, not really. The month of July is a special one for The Downpour Podcast. Each week in July, the crew will be focusing on a “big subject” across gaming and anime. This week: find out how Jonathan, Jared and Randy feel about video game and anime music.

Plenty of stuff to talk about—so much so that the show ran a little long this week!

EPISODE 24 (7/1/13) Narrative – We Aren’t Gonna Spoil It
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

Since there was such a short time between us sitting down to talk on the previous episode and this one we forewent news and jumped straight into our meaty discussion on what we’ve been playing before digging into the topic of narrative in video games. Do we like plot-driven story lines the most or do we lean toward the slower, less complex, but interesting character-driven narrative?

Keeping in with having the show tied up in a nice little package we tackled the same questions when it comes to anime, but it’s not the same discussion in the least! What about slice-of-life series? Surely with almost no plot to speak of there can’t be much to say, right? You’ll have to check it out and see/hear.

EPISODE 25 (7/8/13): Draw the Word “Words” and Eat It
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

Join Jonathan, Jared and Randy for a discussion centered on the visuals of video games and anime. For most of the ninety minutes you’ll be listening, the hosts tackle everything from gaming’s humble beginnings to the era of high-definition. What are some of the games of the past, present and future that they consider eye candy? How do they feel about remakes and de-makes? Do they prefer hyper-realistic graphics or something cut from a different cloth? All these questions and more shall be answered.

Before all that, though, the show starts with a little old-school Final Fantasy talk sparked by the recent release of Final Fantasy VII on Steam. Who among the three has already purchased the game? And speaking of graphics, how do we feel about Final Fantasy VII being remade in high definition? What anime do Jared and Randy consider eye candy? All your burning questions will be answered—and all of Jonathan’s words will be eaten—in this high-pressure, high-definition episode.

EPISODE 26 (7/18/13) One Leg at a Time
Appearing: Jonathan, Randy

The show may be without a Jared this week, but that doesn’t stop Jonathan and Randy from getting together to discuss the news of the week, what they’ve been playing, and everything you could ever want to know about their favorite kinds of gameplay. To start off, they discuss a certain partnership, the release of a certain game, and everything else crazy that happened within a few hours of them sitting down to record. As far as what they’ve been playing this week—Randy actually played a ton more than Jonathan, but the show gets kind of heavy into casual gaming for a few minutes (headed by the four new StreetPass games from Nintendo). Has everyone gotten the Xenoblade Chronicles Puzzle Swap Panel yet?

Regarding gameplay: What are Jonathan and Randy’s most preferred genres in gaming? And for that matter, what are the stand-out titles that definite each genre for them? There are plenty of esoteric choices, plenty of laughs, and plenty of just-plain “cray-cray” to make up for the lack of Jared.

EPISODE 26.5: Charlotte & Jodie at PAX Australia
Appearing: Jonathan, Charlotte, Jodie

It’s been a long time since we touched base with Australian cohorts, so Jonathan took some time to sit down and catch up with Jodie and Charlotte and let them talk about their experiences at PAX Australia. They’re a couple of characters, so you’ll be sure to get a laugh out of this one.

EPISODE 27 (7/22/13) Dance Until You Die
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

Throughout the month of July, hosts Jonathan, Jared and Randy have taken a closer look at the deeper aspects of gaming and anime. Huge topics have been discussed…like musicnarrativegraphics/artistry and even gameplay (admittedly, there wasn’t much anime in that episode). This week: the culmination of all those topics, as The Downpour Podcast discusses some of their favorite games of all time. This list isn’t a definitive Top 5, and some of the hosts went out of their way not to mention games or anime they’ve talked about hundreds of times.

This episode runs at about two hours. Everyone spends ample time talking about the games and anime that had the most profound effects on them. There are plenty of great stories to be heard, and plenty of great games/anime discussed that listeners may not be aware of. It’s definitely a must listen!

EPISODE 28 (8/1/13) Game/Anime of the Year So Far
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

The big games release season is upon us now that August has arrived and are we as excited as can be! Before looking ahead, Jonathan, Jared, and Randy take a look back on the year and each give their Game of the Year “So Far”. What made the cut? What games almost made it? Leaving Jonathan in the dust, Jared and Randy launch in to their own Anime of the Year “So Far” as well.

EPISODE 29 (8/7/13) The Little Shines in Your Eyes
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

Lots of talk about the Nintendo Direct that just happened and future stuff coming from Nintendo. Expect plenty of talk about Dragon’s Crown and Tales of Xillia. Also: Randy began his journey with EarthBound; he has quite a bit to say. This week’s discussion features Jonathan, Jared and Randy talking about their “rage-quit” moments in gaming. This is surely a few minutes everyone can relate to. There are plenty of broken controllers, dying over and over again, and just plain giving up. After that, the show dives into anime. Jonathan has finally watched EVA. More on that when you hear from them next.

EPISODE 30 (8/19/13) Why You Gotta Make Such Noise
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

In lieu of a regular episode, here’s a look at a discussion that was left on the cutting room floor to feature our interview with Precursor Games way back on Episode 19 (June 3rd, 2013).

Please do enjoy a talk of sequels, remakes, and the things that make them tick. Jonathan talks the expected Chrono Break and Golden Sun 4, Randy gives a little love to the LUNAR franchise, and Jared wants to see more from the Final Fantasy IX universe. As far as anime talk: Escaflowne takes center stage, but there’s tons more touched on in that second half! Since it’s a talk of sequels and remakes, one should be aware of spoilers when it comes to the games and franchises discussed, but they’re very veiled allusions at best; there’s nothing to worry about, really.

EPISODE 31 (8/21/13)  Arm-Wavy Zaniness
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

The hosts share their thoughts on everything from the recent Gamescom announcements to Xenoblade Chronicles. Heck, there’s even a bit of Pokemon discussion in light of recent news to come from Game Freak! Also: Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, DuckTales Remastered, and Tales of Xillia, Metal Wolf Chaos and Ingress. 

The reason this show is so long is because everyone devoted over an hour to discussing Neon Genesis Evangelion, and whether Jonathan loved it or abhorred it. We “end” the show around the 1:06:47 mark (after giving non-EVA folks ample spoiler warnings), but there’s plenty more show after that for the dedicated EVA fans.

EPISODE 32 (8/28/13) Nintendo 2Dees and 3Dees
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

Looking forward to a regular and normal show this week? So were we, but SURPRISE! News came in like crazy this past week, specifically the day we were going to sit down and record. With those headlines still in our heads we threw our hat in the ring to give our thoughts and feelings on what Nintendo had to announce on the lazy late-August Wednesday.

Price cuts, new hardware, game announcements, Kickstarter/crowd-funding; the whole gamut gets tackled by our usual crew of Jonathan, Jared, and Randy. While there isn’t a huge topic of discussion to be had, this episode is surely not short on content.

EPISODE 33 (9/5/13) Take it to the Bank
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

This week’s show doesn’t feature a deluge of news or an extra hour of streamlined discussion, but there’s still plenty to look forward to! Hosts Jonathan, Jared and Randy offer their take on the stories from this past week-or-so including Mighty No. 9Bravely Default: For the Sequel, Theatrhythm: Curtain Call, the latest Pokemon Direct, and so much more.

As far as what they’ve been playing—it’s most definitely a mixed bag this week. Jared has a bit to say about Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage, and Jonathan offers quite a bit on Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and how much Summer Carnival ’92: RECCA is destroying him. And regarding Randy’s journey through Tales of Xillia—apparently stuff went down!

The anime section this week, on top of discussing a few bits of news and new developments in certain shows, features an in depth discussion on Free! – Iwatobi Swim Club, as per a listener request. And speaking of listener requests: Episode 34 of The Downpour Podcast will be a Roundtable on The Legend of Zelda franchise, one of our most requested shows.

EPISODE 34 (9/23/13) Swords, Shields and… Chipmunks?
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

This is the episode a handful of you have been waiting for! As per many a fan request, this week begets a Zelda Roundtable! Join Jonathan, Jared and Randy as they discuss every single game in conventional Zelda canon (some games get more time than others, but they’re all talked about to some extent!). Plenty of warm, fuzzy tales, plenty of nostalgia, and plenty of comedy awaits!

EPISODE 35 (10/7/13) Kingdom Hearts, Two Brothers and… Cookie Clicker?
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

The hosts sit down and talk about some big news and throw in our two cents on things like SteamOS/Steam Machines, Tokyo Game Show, and much more. There’s a full breakdown of what we’ve been playing and whether we think these games are worth your time. Should you play something like Obscure 2 now that it’s October? You’re going to have to listen to find out.

Randy and Jared also dish about the Fall anime season and really dig into Free! Iwatobi Swim Club and Attack on Titan now that both series/seasons have come to an end. Did Attack on Titan keep it’s steam from the early first few episodes? Did the “Swimming Anime” deliver something worth the hype from that demo reel? Throw on some headphones and listen in to our thoughts. Fair warning: SPOILERS ABOUND.

EPISODE 36 (10/21/13) That’s How We Roll
Appearing: Randy, Jonathan, Jared

Since last you heard the likes of Randy, Jonathan and Jared, some interesting things have happened. How did the three hosts react to the influx of Kingdom Hearts news from D23? What myriad of games has Randy been playing while recovering from being sick? What myriad of anime has Jared been watching while down for the count as well? How badly has Jonathan been affected by the release of Pokemon X&Y? Listen to this episode to find out how they roll.

EPISODE 37 (11/1/13) How We Lost Our Virginity to Squall
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

You’ve not heard an episode of The Downpour Podcast quite like this one before. You asked, and we delivered: Episode 37 of The Downpour Podcast is dedicated to all things Final Fantasy. Join Randy, Jonathan and Jared as they sit down to discuss every main entry in the series. Things like the characteristics of what make a Final Fantasy game are discussed during the opening of the show, but after that—things get kind of heavy. There is a ton of passion to be had between these three; be sure to let us know what you think!

EPISODE 38 (11/18/13) Gotta Go Fast!
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

When we sat down to record this episode we were on the eve of the new generation of consoles. Here we are now – living in that new generation. Before celebrating all the new shinies on our way we wanted to talk about the favorite and stand-out games of the past gen of PS3/360/Wii (Wow, that feels weird to say those systems are last gen.) and we get a TON of thoughts from you, our readers and listeners. Then it’s into the good stuff with the big news hits.

It’s also no secret that Jonathan and Randy are big Sonic fans and Jonathan has even reviewed the Blue Blur’s newest adventure which means we’ve got lots of hedgehog to talk about. And Jared? Well, he may be new to the franchise, but he picked up Sonic Generations and has some words he’d like to say regarding his thoughts on SEGA’s mascot.

EPISODE 39 (12/2/13) Next Gen is Current Gen
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

The Playstation 4 is out, Xbox One is out, and the holidays are in full swing when it comes to game releases. Nintendo may have had their console out a year early, but they’re still bringing in the big guns with The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (which was reviewed by our very own Jonathan) and Super Mario 3D World (review is coming!). What are our thoughts on this barrage of newness?

If that wasn’t enough to stuff you like Thanksgiving, Jared and Randy toss another helping of content your way with lots of anime talk including a look at Akira (with a corresponding plug to an excellent article by our own Jared) to get you psyched for it’s airing on Toonami this month.

EPISODE 40 12/16/13) Games of the Year 2013/Most Anticipated Games of 2014
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

Well, folks, 2013 is coming to a close. It has been an absolutely bonkers year and with it all ending it’s time to sit and reflect on all the awesome games we got this go around the sun.

That’s right, it’s time for us to give you Randy, Jared, and Jonathan’s individual Top 5 Games of the Year. We got our lists, checked it twice, and are here to deliver.

Are games of the year lists not enough for you? Not content with one present this holiday season? Fine, we’ve got more! We also bring you our Most Anticipated Games of 2014! What are we hyped about? What can’t we wait to sink our teeth into? Admittedly, if you’re an avid listener of the show you know what might be coming, but there are also plenty of surprises to be had!

EPISODE 40.5 (12/30/13) Anime of the Year 2013/Most Anticipated Anime of 2014
Appearing: Jared, Randy

Randy and Jared return for the second portion of our end of year shows, this time bringing you our Top 5 Anime of the Year. Okay, so Jonathan is around to give his two cents for a couple of minutes, but this is Randy and Jared’s territory.

As if that wasn’t enough we’ve also got our Most Anticipated Anime of 2014!There’s a few high-profile shows on the horizon and we can’t contain our excitement!

EPISODE 41 (1/13/14) Poisoning Your Pizza
Appearing: Jonathan, Randy, Jared

Jonathan, Randy and Jared recap the holidays! What games did they play with family and friends? What games did they manage to sneak away and plan on their own? You’ve got questions—they’ve got answers. The show starts off with plenty of Mario talk, then discusses recent news about things like Phantasy Star Online 2Mighty No. 9, and the December 18th Nintendo Direct. Games discussed include Super Mario 3D World, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, The Wind Waker HD, Tearaway, and much more.

This week in anime: expect some talk about Akira and Wolf Children, as well as Kill la Kill, the recent announcements regarding Sword Art Online, the ending ofValvrave The Liberator (minus spoilers), and more!

EPISODE 42 (1/27/14) We Get Stealthy
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy, Stealth

We’re all eagerly awaiting February for some of our highly anticipated games like Bravely Defaultand Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII and we couldn’t be more excited. Of course we can’t talk video games, RPGs, and Final Fantasy without also giving our two cents on the most recent mobile release of Final Fantasy VI, but you might hear some things you wouldn’t expect! To kick off a brand new segment featuring community guests, we have Stealth, known from another podcast called RPGrinders (which you can listen to every Friday LIVE at 8 P.M. Eastern Time).

Following that up we’ve got a healthy dose of anime talk! How’s that Winter anime season coming? We might just be too busy with Kill la Kill and Space Dandy! And so much more!

EPISODE 43 (2/10/14) Boom
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy, WildCardCorsair

What’s on the show this week? All of our latest reviews and editorials, some Theatrhythm talk, a dash of Monster Hunter, and some talk about the Nintendo Q3 Financial Results Meeting. Also: how do the three hosts feel about Sonic Boom and the new direction of the Sonic brand? Results may vary. Games discussed include PlayStation All-Stars: Battle RoyaleLightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII (Demo), The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of Lions, and…wait for it…Pokemon Bank! There’s more where that came from, including some titles you wouldn’t expect. 

Chris sat down to talk with us about Handheld Gaming. Expect discussion on everything from Killzone Mercenary and Velocity Ultra to Super Mario 3D Land and Shin Megami Tensei IV. There’s plenty of love for both the PlayStation Vita and the Nintendo 3DS.  For those of you interested in the interview, it starts at 1:33:05.

EPISODE 43 Part 2 (2/10/14) Recently, This Podcast is Unusual
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy

The second part of this week’s show is devoted entirely to the Winter Anime season. Here’s everything we talked about, whether for a few minutes or a little longer: Nagi no Asukara, Golden Time, Kill la Kill, Tonari no Seki-kun: The Master of Killing Time, The Pilot’s Love Song, Recently, My Sister is Unusual, Engaged to the Unidentified, Witch Craft Works, Pupa, Wake Up, Girls!, Nobunagun, Sakura Trick, Noragami, Inari KonKon, Koi Iroha, and finally Space Dandy. Plenty of impressions, and a handful of recommendations! Are there any among this list that you, our listeners, would recommend? We’re always eager to hear what you have to say!

EPISODE 44 (2/24/14) I’ve Seen the Fanfiction
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy, ZPRDingo

This episode starts off with a lengthy discussion about all the exciting stuff to come out of the Nintendo Direct that happened on February 13th. After that, there’s talk of two Final Fantasy remakes…XII and VII, respectively. But…the gaming section really focuses on three big titles that Jared, Randy and Jonathan spent huge chunk(s) of time with. And since we’re talking about games that came out less than a year ago, less than two weeks ago, or maybe even sooner, beware. There’s also some spoilers about a certain show in the anime section!

Jared talks Grand Theft Auto V, but the talk gets fairly spoiler-heavy from 48:00 to 58:02, specifically in regards to how things end and the structure of some later missions. Randy talks at length about Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII and manages to remain spoiler-free outside of a last minute slip from 1:27:32 to 1:28:24. And last but not least, Jonathan talks Bravely Default. He gets pretty heated about some plot details that happen in the second half of the game from 1:40:55 to 1:44:30. In the anime section, there’s some talk about Attack on Titan’s English dub, more news, more discussion, and a talk about Kill la Kill from 2:37:10 to 2:44:05 that spoils up to Episode 19. 

Last but not least, we’re still continuing our segment featuring community guests. This time, welcome long-time listener ZPRDingo from Basement Quality.

SPECIAL Episode (2/28/14): Golden Time 
Appearing: Jared, Oscar

Jared sat down with a special guest from the Operation Rainfall Staff, the one and only Oscar! They reflect on everything from the anime series up to episode 19, so newcomers to the series beware. Spoilers start at 6:30, but even if you haven’t seen Golden Time, we think you’ll enjoy this full-on discussion.

With a focus on character progression and major plot points along the way, Jared and Oscar pick apart the series’ strong ability to pull off the “Golden Time Effect,” or the ability to constantly move away from the norm of the average romance anime. All characters are discussed, along with a serious discussion on choosing either Team Koko or Team Linda. The episode closes with their final thoughts and predictions on where Golden Time will finally come to a conclusion. There are only four more episodes before the series finale!

EPISODE 45 (3/10/14) Compilation of Downpour Podcast: Advent Children
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy, Joe Walker

On the show this week: a little less news, but a little more site content to discuss!

After some business, Jonathan, Jared and Randy have a decent discussion aboutFinal Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete. Tune in for some history that goes a tad beyond what they discussed during the Final Fantasy Roundtable from a while back—but be careful of spoilers for Advent Children during the talk!

In games: Randy and Jared talk at length about Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. Has Randy been enjoying the game, even after his review has gone live? How does Jared feel about it? Also: Jonathan’s been experiencing Pokémon in different ways than one might imagine. Last but not least, there’s talk of the new Strider game on the back-end. This week’s special guest is Joe Walker, a big fan of retro gaming who happens to be the same guy as the one you’ll find in The Backlog with Joe WalkerAnd in the anime section, enjoy some talk about The Wind Rises and Miyazaki. How will his retirement affect the future of 2D animation as we know it?

EPISODE 46 (3/24/14) Yoshi’s NEW Downpour Podcast
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy, Stealth

Are you ready for another awesome show? Because we’ve got it right here for you. We tease oprainfall’s first soundtrack review with Jonathan importing Yoko Shimomura’s Memoria album. We also get some time to talk about Jon’s experiences with Yoshi’s New Island. Is it eggstremely fun? Take a listen and, if you want more, check out his review! We also have plenty of what we’ve been playing talk with titles like Sonic Lost World, Remember Me, Super Mario Sunshine, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, and second opinions on Lightning Returns from Jared.

Following our new usual, we have another guest topic segments where we invite some cool peeps from around the internet to talk to us about video games and topics that are near and dear to their hearts. We brought Stealth back o talk about Anime to Manga and Manga to Anime Transitions/Adaptations. Following that up we’ve got a healthy dose of anime talk! How’s that Winter anime season coming? We might just be too busy with Kill la Kill and Space Dandy! And so much more!

EPISODE 47 (4/7/14) Pre-PAX Hype 2014
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Randy, Eric

We hit you with some recent news, what we’ve been playing, and cap off our gaming section with a sit down with Jon, Jared, and Eric – our PAX East team. They will be at the event covering all the stuff you want to know about as well as bringing podcast updates during the show. We cap it off with a talk of anime. And Jon watches something Randy recommended – Eden of the East! We also talk the ending of the Winter anime season including the now infamous Kill la Kill. It’s an exciting show you don’t wanna miss. Sen-ni-soshitsu!

EPISODE PAX East 2014 Day 1 (4/12/14) Recap
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Eric

Jonathan, Jared, and Eric all arrived safely and took to the show floor to get some games under their belt. Shovel KnightKero BlasterY2K, and other awesome games and events were had.

EPISODE PAX East 2014 Day 2 (4/13/14) Recap
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Eric

Jonathan, Jared, and Eric are back at it at PAX East. Let them regale you with stories of the cool games they got to try their hand at as well as some neat stories that could only happen at PAX.

EPISODE PAX East 2014 Day 3 (4/14/14) Recap
Appearing: Jonathan, Jared, Eric

All good things must end and, sadly, that includes PAX East 2014. Jonathan, Jared, and Eric bring it in and wrap up all there is to the last day of PAX East 2014. How did it go? Did they all make it out alive?

EPISODE 48 (4/28/14) Back Into the Swing
Appearing: Jonathan, Randy, WildCardCorsair

Jonathan and Randy return after a week’s hiatus because Jared flew off to foreign lands, and Jonathan caught the flu. The two were feeling a little lonely and felt the best way to show Jared how jealous they were of the trip he’s on was to invite a special community guest to sit down for the whole duration of the show!

The show’s a bit on the shorter side compared to most, but there was still a ton to talk about. Be sure to tune in!

EPISODE 49 (5/12/14) When I Was in Japan
Appearing: Jonathan, Randy, Jared

Did you guys know? Jared was in Japan. This week’s episode is all about that! Randy and Jonathan catch up with their well-traveled friend as he accounts the greatest moments from his trip. What did he see? More importantly, what did he buy? This episode seeks to answer those kinds of questions, for all who are curious.

But don’t worry! The three hosts also talk about what they’ve been playing and watching. Jared talks about the games that traveled with him to Japan, what he brought back, and the occasional mention of Super Mario Bros. 3Randy continues to conquer his backlog with mentions of Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 3: FULL BURST and Mass Effect 3. And Jonathan, slowly but surely beginning his descent into retro-gaming madness, talks about the three games he bought (and played) from the Game Boy era–Adventure Island II: Aliens in Paradise, Bomberman GB, and Final Fantasy Legend III. More madness to come! Determined to stay modern to some extent, though, Jonathan also talks about Kirby Triple Deluxe. His reaction to the game may surprise you! Anime talk concerns magical girls, and how Jared’s magical trip to Japan may or may not have left the man a little too distracted to watch much.