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.

Follow us on Bluesky:
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!

Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm

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

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

Another PAX East, another Video Game Tinder panel. Well, until they stop letting us make fools of ourselves. This year we're joined by Michael Higham, Jenna Stoeber, Asa GreenRiver, and returning swiper Anya Combs as we swipe left and right on fake dating profiles for real video game characters. We've also included a Google Slides link of the presentation so you can follow along and see the profiles Eric made. Enjoy the show!

Slideshow: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1rdr4Oa2P6Ui5fvcPOTg_ThOhXDR6azk_7HlrCmCUbvg/edit?slide=id.p#slide=id.p

Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm

Follow us on Bluesky:
Normandy FM: @normandyfm.bsky.social
Anya: @anyacombsherhair.bsky.social
Eric: @seamoosi.bsky.social
Ken: @shepardcdr.bsky.social
Michael: @brazyazn.bsky.social
Jenna: @thejenna.bsky.social
Asa: @agreenriver.bsky.social

PAX East Video Game Tinder III Panel feat. Anya Combs, Jenna Stoeber, Michael Higham, Asa GreenRiver

As 2B and 9S explore more of Nier Automata's desolate world, we find new ways that robots try to imitate humanity and speculate about what it all means.

Enjoy the show!

Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm

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

Nier Automata, Episode 4: May [Q] Think

This episode we close the book on Adam and his attempts to roleplay humanity. We head down to the Copied City and pontificate on Nier's vision of synthetics trying to figure out what humanity was all about long after the humans are gone from this world.

Enjoy the show!

Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm

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

Nier Automata, Episode 5: Simulac[r]a

We finished Nier Automata. The credits rolled, so it's over. Right? Riiiiiight?

Nah. We finished Route A and returning guest Sam Greer joins us to talk about Automata's first closing chapter. Enjoy the show!

Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm

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

Nier Automata, Episode 6: Become A[s] Gods feat. Sam Greer

We did all of Route A over again...as 9S. This episode covers the broad strokes of Nier Automata's Route B, so if you haven't played through the whole thing, come back later. Moises Taveras returns alongside first-time guest Sam Greszes as we talk about 9S, the reveals of his hacking abilities, and wonder what the **** those asterisks are. Enjoy the show!

Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm

Follow us on Bluesky:
Normandy FM: @normandyfm
Eric: @seamoosi
Ken: @shepardcdr
Moises: @platanoranger
Sam: @sam.robotsfightingdinosaurs.com‬

Nier Automata, Episode 7: [T]ake Two feat. Moises Taveras and Sam Greszes

The reigning guest champ Natalie Checo returns after a long hiatus as we talk about the beginning of Nier Automata's Route C. We talk about passing the torch to the final playable character, unpack the surprisingly timely themes of Automata, and somehow find a way to talk about KPop Demon Hunters. Enjoy the show!

Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm

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

Nier Automata, Episode 8: Confl[u]ence of Worlds feat. Natalie Checo

It is getting worse for our android heroes as we keep going through Route C. Diego Argüello returns to talk about A2 learning to care and 9S falling into madness. Enjoy the show!

Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm

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

Nier Automata, Episode 9: [V]iolent Ends feat. Diego Argüello

Before we head to the end of Nier Automata, we have to go check up on an old friend. It's the Emil episode as we talk about the game's secret boss and all it implies about the state of the world.

Enjoy the show!

Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm

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

Nier Automata, Episode 10: [W]ish You Were Here

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