After three weeks of getting up early for naught, I finally was able to wake up and record a podcast.

Since you’re back for more, you’ll find that this episode of the XABY Radio podcast, Nayan, Josh, Eric, Segata and I discuss our recent game purchases, what we’re playing and we discuss interesting Christmas and/or gift giving stories, to keep with the holiday season.

We also talked at length about Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross, although I remained largely silent for that entire conversation because I haven’t ever played either of those games. Although with Chrono Trigger out on the Nintendo DS, I will definitely be playing some of that game in the near future. I also talk a bit about my recent near-completion of the Mirror’s Edge campaign. Since the podcast was recorded, I finished Mirror’s Edge and, after I try out a few of the time trial and speedrun levels, I know I have quite a bit more to say about the game. I just needed some more time to ruminate about it and I didn’t finish the game before the podcast like I had wanted to.

Don’t forget to listen nearly all the way to the end where I talk about my dad taking out pimps (in Grand Theft Auto III).

Download Episode 5 – Christmas Wishes

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Faster than ever, Episode 3 of XABY Radio–the bi-weekly podcast I am on–is up already.

In this episode we discuss the usual topics like what we’ve bought and played in the past two weeks. I talk my impressions of Doki Doki Majo Shinpan 2 DUO, to which my impatient co-hosts were urging me to get to the witch touching part. I revealed the secret weapon to the witch touching–boob-touching combos–to much delight. And then I was pretty much met with stunned silence. Yeah.

We also had a great discussion regarding the comments made at TGS by Hideo Kojima (original Japanese story from Famitsu) and Yoichi Wada, both of whom suggested that the game development community in Japan is falling behind their western counterparts in innovation and technology, ceding a global leadership position these Japanese studios have traditionally held for quite some time. You will also want to check out Chris Kohler’s analysis of next-gen and the hardware divide in Japan on Wired’s Game|Life blog, where Kohler takes a look at the games by platform breakdown at the Tokyo Game Show. His article provides some insight, including quotes from other preeminent game developers on why Japan is seemingly shunning Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 development relative to game development on the Nintendo Wii, DS and PSP platforms.

In other news, I’m pretty sure I’ll be angering not a few developers of games for the Wii and DS as I pretty much made a blanket statement that they were all cheap to develop and, in shovelware fashion, made to maximize money on indiscriminating consumers. Note: I’ve hired someone else to read my mail now.

Download Episode 3 – Kojima Calls the WAH-mbulance

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I’m really behind on posting my topics this week. Earlier this week, on Sunday or Monday, the second episode of our XABY Radio podcast was posted. We’ve moved to a new host and the podcast will now be found at xabyradio.libsyn.com.

This time around I was properly caffinated and lubricated to join in on the discussion. I’m still fearful of listening to my own voice on this one, so all my impressions of the podcast are from memory. I briefly discuss being addicted to NHL 09–an addiction I broke almost immediately thereafter. All in all, I rather enjoyed this shorter episode even though I could only contribute as an armchair observer to the Tokyo Game Show rather than an in-person participant.

Download Episode 2 – Shorter For Her Pleasure

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I recently endured the ignominy of being awake at eight o’clock in the morning on a Sunday–a SUNDAY–to join Nayan, Josh, Eric and Segata to record our inaugural XABY Radio podcast. I didn’t talk much, so I definitely needed a coffee or a beer. Or both. Noted for next time.

Srsly.

I was pretty honored to be invited to partake in the podcast. These are all guys whose point of view I respect quite a bit and–at least those of us I could find a blog by–all have some pretty insightful and interesting commentary about games and the industry. We kind of ran out of time to get to some real interesting topics, but all in all, not too shabby a start. We’ll get better and I’m really looking forward to being more awake next time.

The podcast covers us reviewing our newest game purchases and discussing the recent Nintendo Conference (Japan, US – Day 1 and Day 2), the future of DRM, along with the road to Tokyo Game Show.

We’ll be placing it up on iTunes soon, but you can download a measly (28 MB) file on the XABY Radio page: http://xabyradio.libsyn.com/

I stayed on for the whole show, so hopefully I didn’t reveal any corporate secrets say anything dumb or something borderline that will get me in trouble! I had a good time on the show, so maybe one day I’ll get the nod to come back on again.

If they had a direct, permanent link, I would link to the post (that’s a hint, Nick).

Grab the podcast here (mp3 download or iTunes link). They’re also offering up a chance to get into the Shadowrun beta if you leave a comment on the podcast post.

Now way you can hear me sound all nervous, be absolutely unable to be analytical about anything and add nothing of real worth.

Also, don’t forget to check out the pitch-fork and torch carrying mob scene commentary on the NeoGAF thread as well.