The boys went to Summer Game Fest this year, but Ken saw an hour of Dragon Age: The Veilguard behind closed doors. In this very special BioBit, we talk about the name change, the cinematic trailer, and everything Ken saw in Los Angeles. But we also talk about some of the cool games we saw at Summer Game Fest, from Game of the Show Sonic X Shadow Generations and some cooler indie games coming this year. 

Enjoy the show!

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Normandy FM: @normandyfmshow
Eric: @seamoosi
Ken: @shepardcdr

BioBit: The Dragon Age: The Veilguard Preview

We beat the game...again! Julie Muncy returns to talk about Nier Replicant's Route B, the merits of the game's replayability, Kaine's perspective, and we get into a big ol' lore dump midway through.

Enjoy the show!

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Normandy FM: @normandyfmshow
Eric: @seamoosi
Ken: @shepardcdr
Julie: @juliemuncy23

Nier Replicant, Episode 12: It's A Time [L]oop feat. Julie Muncy

We finally finished Nier Replicant (until Ending E, which we'll be covering at the very end of the Nier season). It took us a lot longer than it was supposed to, but Alex Donaldson is here to help us unpack endings C and D as we finally prepare to head into Nier Automata.

Enjoy the show!

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Eric: @seamoosi
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Alex: @APzonerunner

Nier Replicant, Episode 13 - You Can (Not) Re[M]ake feat. Alex Donaldson

The boys got to go hands-on with Dragon Age: The Veilguard and talked with some of the developers at BioWare. In this BioBit, we talk about the many hours we got to play, our feelings on Rook, the action RPG pivot, the state of Dragon Age, and what the next two months mean for BioWare. 

Enjoy the show!

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Normandy FM: @normandyfmshow
Eric: @seamoosi
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BioBit: We Played Dragon Age: The Veilguard

We're back in the trenches of Nier, but things look a little different this time. It's time to start Nier Automata and unpack the apparent genre shift between the sequel and Replicant, 2B and 9S' dynamic, and how much better the game feels to play.

Enjoy the show!

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Normandy FM: @normandyfmshow
Eric: @seamoosi
Ken: @shepardcdr

Nier Automata, Episode 1 - This Ca[n] Continue

Oh, hey. Don't know if y'all heard but a little game called Dragon Age: The Veilguard is out on October 31. Ken and Eric both got review copies for the game, and so we had to come together for a (spoiler-free, except for what BioWare has already talked about) review. We talk Rook, the party, the game's limited carry over from previous games, and the action RPG combat. Enjoy the show!

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Normandy FM: @normandyfmshow
Eric: @seamoosi
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Read Ken's review on Kotaku:

https://kotaku.com/dragon-age-veilguard-4-review-dreadwolf-rook-action-rpg-1851681954

BioBit: Dragon Age: The Veilguard Review

It's time to head back down to Earth as we learn more about what's happened in the world of Nier since the events of Replicant. This episode we talk the beginnings of the connections between games, how Automata uses UI for storytelling, and how we're feeling about the game's genre-blending. Enjoy the show!

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Normandy FM: @normandyfm
Eric: @seamoosi
Ken: @shepardcdr

Nier Automata, Episode 2: M[o]del Behavior

Now that folks are rolling credits on Dragon Age: The Veilguard, we wanted to take some time to break down our spoiler-filled overarching thoughts. Ken and Eric are joined by returning guests Ash Parrish and James Whitbrook as we talk about Rook, the ending, Varric, Solas, and all the other big reveals in The Veilguard. Think of it as an appetizer before our full season covering the game next year. Enjoy the show!

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Ash: @adashtra.bsky.social
James: jwhitbrook.bsky.social

BioBit: Dragon Age: The Veilguard Spoilercast feat. Ash Parrish and James Whitbrook

BioWare has been hit with layoffs and reassignments as it pivots to Mass Effect 5, and that includes veteran talent that helped make the Dragon Age series what it is today. Ken and Eric sit down to try and figure out what it all means, ponder the future of the studio, and look toward our upcoming Veilguard season.

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Normandy FM: @normandyfm
Eric: @seamoosi
Ken: @shepardcdr

BioBit - Vigilance

As we make our way through Nier Automata's post-apocalyptic world, we stumble upon an amusement park. Here we find some interesting wrinkles in how Automata frames its android vs. machine war and ponder if it succeeds in some of the ways we felt The Last of Us didn't. Enjoy the show!

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Follow us on Bluesky
Normandy FM: @normandyfm
Eric: @seamoosi
Ken: @shepardcdr

Nier: Automata, Episode 3: A Walk in the [P]ark

Eric Van Allen and Kenneth Shepard come together for a multi-part video game retrospective podcast. Normandy FM does episodic analysis of video games, starting with Bioware's Mass Effect series, going on to discuss other genres and studios. Tune in to the discussion and join in by playing along with us!

Mass Effect | 51 Eps.
Dragon Age | 47 Eps.
Jade Empire | 5 Eps.
The Last of Us | 16 Eps.
Final Fantasy X | 23 Eps.
Cyberpunk 2077 | 15 Eps.
Nier | Ongoing

Twitter:
Normandy FM: @normandyfmshow
Eric: @seamoosi
Kenneth: @shepardcdr