Those Who Fight

Erin Hyles and Allen Ortega
  • 4.0 (7)
  • Video Games
  • Series

Join hosts Erin and Allen as they take an in-depth book club style approach to revisiting Final Fantasy VII - it's legacy and impact on not just the medium of games, but on mass culture at large.

  1. Episode 8

    Those Who Fight

    "The coolest shinobi are puking in corners, that's how you get your ninja powers." We're back after a fairly protracted break involving a real actual wildfire, evacuations, and a bout of the flu. In this episode we apologize profusely, protect Fort Condor, talk yet again about nuclear reactors and mankind's very temporary dominion over nature, reminisce about paid video game tip lines, perform CPR, take part in a very fascist waste of time and resources in Junon, and get seasick on the cargo ship heading to Costa Del Sol. Intro: Rufus's Welcoming Ceremony, acoustic guitar cover by Edigar Monteiro Outro: J-E-N-O-V-A, cover by moonbowmusicmovie

  2. Episode 9

    Those Who Fight

    In our ninth episode we take a short break in the resort town of Costa Del Sol, talk about how disturbingly fast the housing market turn-around is for the dead President's vacation house and try to bumblingly parse whatever the NPC Johnny's deal is. In a classic FF7 move we move immediately to abject poverty in the ruined mining town of Corel, find out a bit about Barret's background, make a sort of obscure American Dad reference, and have a very depressing side discussion about what growing up poor does to you emotionally. Intro: Costa Del Sol, four-piece band arrangement by moonbowmusicmovie Outro: Mark of a Traitor, re-arranged by Beyond Midgar

  3. Episode 10

    Those Who Fight

    Episode ten of our multipart journey through the world of Final Fantasy VII takes us down the garbage chute into Corel Prison, where we will start unraveling some further connections FF7 has to Kabbalistic Judaism beyond even the naming conventions. We'll also talk about the second part of Barret's backstory, and take the side trek to Gongaga, where we'll discover that Aerith really is just the coolest, nicest person on this bitch of an earth. Intro: Desert Wasteland, prog rock cover by BlackearacheXD Outro: Cosmo Canyon, jazz cover by The Consouls

  4. Episode 11

    Those Who Fight

    Hosts Allen and Erin spend the day in Cosmo Canyon, learning about planet science and the nature of the Lifestream - the metaphysical heart of Final Fantasy VII. Erin gives us a very brief introduction to the heretical teachings of Gnosticism and how it relates to many of our favorite pop culture artifacts, we kill a whole-ass boss with just a Phoenix Down, and we get decidedly serious talking about the unique pains of losing a parent. Intro: Cosmo Canyon, acoustic guitar version by Daisuke Minamizawa Outro: Great Warrior, piano cover by TPR

  5. Episode 12

    Those Who Fight

    Allen and Erin make their way to Cloud's hometown of Nibelheim for the first(???) time as we talk player agency, the murkiness of memory, and Norse mythology. Allen is several glasses of wine in and thus is in the perfect headspace for being confused and finding a Hot Topic shift manager straight chillin' in a coffin in Shinra Mansion's basement. Intro: Anxious Heart, lo-fi chill version by Kannibal Outro: The Nightmare Begins, piano/orchestrated version by Lucas King

  6. Episode 13

    Those Who Fight

    The INSANE new trailer for the FF7 Remake just dropped and we're amped despite ourselves. Allen and Erin take a big chunk of time to talk about what overpriced version of this damn thing we're buying, one of the new characters debuted in the trailer, whether or not Advent Children sucks (which we've previously promised not to do), how much of a jerk we're letting Cid be, space travel disasters, Dunkaroos, and Erin also lets you in on her favorite materia combination, which is some lowdown dirty-dirty. Intro: Those Who Fight Further, The Black Mages version Outro: Oppressed People, cover by Dylan Barone

  7. Episode 14

    Those Who Fight

    Our next few chapters finds us cleaning up the last sips of content here near the end of disc one, starting with our ninja friend Yuffie's hometown of Wutai. As part of our SIDEQUEST EPISODES we talk about why "Magma Diver" is the worst Evangelion episode, how Erin is basically Roman from Party Down, and the tantalizing fantasy of a Platinum Games/Suda 51 collaboration adaptation of the classic 90's cyberpunk novel Snow Crash. Also uh, Wutai. Intro: Cid's Theme, cover by Andre Kane Outro: Wutai, cover by Andre Kane

  8. Episode 15

    Those Who Fight

    The FFVIIR demo dropped and we dropped everything to play it, including recording the next episode about Gold Saucer. Minigames be damned, we're here to talk about the dripping honeycomb that is the delicious Remake demo. Hang out with Erin and Allen while we spend an hour talking the demo, politics, the coronavirus cancelling GDC (and maybe E3!), and what the difference in game design is between "evolutionary" and "revolutionary". If you want to go into FFVIIR unspoiled, feel free to skip this one and pick us up again in Chapter 16! Intro: Bombing Mission, Distant Worlds version Outro: Don of the Slums, Random and Lost Perception

  9. Episode 16

    The Point Being

    Love in the time of Coronavirus - with the news about the real world becoming increasingly upsetting, Allen and Erin retreat to 1997 to revisit Gold Saucer. We talk about the need for us to stay sane and reach out to our friends and neighbors, and the importance of mutual aid in these Weird Times but don't worry, it's just a ten minute intro and then straight into the Saucer shenanigans. In Game Land we're on about the abundance of fancy lads in this game, Erin's favorite book, and the difficulty of being a bisexual forced to make a decision. Intro: Cait Sith's Theme, jazz arrangement by michtopich Outro: Words Drowned by Fireworks, arranged by Patti Rudisill

  10. Episode 17

    Chapter 17: Shake It, Take It, or Leave It

    Venture into the forest temple with us as Allen and Erin discuss the FF7 cast's Animal Crossing fursonas, what makes a good villain, yet more Kabbalastic musing, and how we as humans try to explain suffering. Also a stuffed animal makes a noble sacrifice. Intro: Temple of the Ancients, by Super Guitario World Outro: Who Am I?, arrangement by R3 Music Box

  11. Episode 18

    Afraid to Go On

    Join us for our goodbye to Disc One, and a temporary hiatus as we enter REMAKE WEEKEND. It's 4/10/2020 and we're very excited to tear into FF7R, but not before we deal with the most iconic scene in the original game - the events in the forgotten capital of the Ancients. We discuss our doomsday prep for the upcoming video game marathon weekend, how tamales for Easter are way better than ham, and we try to do our best to add some levity to what is, inevitably, a heavy episode. Intro: Listen to the Cries of the Planet, by Kannibal Outro: Aerith's Theme, S Generation arrangement

  12. Episode 19

    You Can (Not) Remake (SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE)

    We're joined by good friend and games journo Josh Hinke to take a big, extra-long episode look at the FF7 Remake. Josh provides an FF7 skeptic's perspective to our normal patter and we talk about our initial impressions of the game's faithfulness, the gigantic shoes it tries (and frequently succeeds) at filling, and our collective feelings on the franchise as a whole.

See All Season 1 (12)

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About

Join hosts Erin and Allen as they take an in-depth book club style approach to revisiting Final Fantasy VII - it's legacy and impact on not just the medium of games, but on mass culture at large.

Information

  • Creator
    Erin Hyles and Allen Ortega
  • Episodes
    20
  • Seasons
    1
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    Those Who Fight