Into the Aether - A Low Key Video Game Podcast · Stephen Hilger + Brendon Bigley

Teddie is for Everyone (feat. Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse, Slay the Spire II, Minishoot' Adventures, and more!)

·1 hr 20 min·5 clips

Brendan says Teddy “has made this game” and calls him “for everyone.”

1. Into the Aether opens with Brendan Bigley and Stephen Hilger talking about Nobuo Uematsu holding a giant pizza, then uses that image to pivot into Square Enix. 2. Brendan Bigley is the host, Stephen Hilger is the co-host, and they matter because they move from joke-to-analysis without changing the relaxed pace. 3. The episode asks what Square Enix should be making now, especially after Fantasian, Final Fantasy XVI, and Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse. 4. They discuss Mistwalker, Hironobu Sakaguchi, and the idea that Square Enix could acquire Mistwalker in a full-circle move. 5. They compare Final Fantasy games by response, saying Final Fantasy X may be the last one that hit culturally the way Square Enix wanted. 6. They bring up Final Fantasy XIV as its own silo and mention the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy as a divisive but increasingly appreciated branch. 7. Brendan says he wants a future Final Fantasy to be “something new and different each time,” instead of repeating Final Fantasy VII beats. 8. The conversation turns to Bravely Default Flying Fairy Remaster arriving on Steam and people calling it a better fit for Final Fantasy XV. 9. They discuss Tomoya Asano, Team Asano, Octopath Traveler 2, and the possibility that Asano could someday direct a mainline Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest. 10. Stephen shifts into Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse after saying he finished it and wants to talk about the experience spoiler-free. 11. He describes Paranormasight as a strong introduction to visual novels, adventure games, Ace Attorney, and Danganronpa-style logic. 12. He compares the first Paranormasight game to 13 Sentinels and Metal Gear-style thinking, where the player uses the game’s own systems to solve problems. 13. Stephen says Mermaid’s Curse is stronger overall in cast, but he prefers the first game’s gameplay because the final puzzle taught him to think differently. 14. He explains that many players had to look up the series’ final 5D meta puzzle, because the game stops signposting the hidden-message solution clearly enough. 15. Brendan compares that problem to Persona 4 Golden side quests, including a fox quest involving cats, weather, books, and specific days. 16. Stephen says the series rewards players with a cool scene after the puzzle, even if the route to get there feels too obscure. 17. The discussion widens to history and mythology, with Stephen pointing out that Mermaid’s Curse uses 1980s Japan, ama divers, and real regional history in its fiction. 18. The tone stays low-key and conversational, with Brendan and Stephen mixing jokes, references, and long-form design criticism. 19. Listeners who like Square Enix, visual novels, and detailed game design talk should listen. 20. Listeners who want a quick spoiler-free plot summary or no genre talk can skip it.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Into the Aether - A Low Key Video Game Podcast