Thanks for ordering the Slice of Cherry Guys! We're Chris and Dave, two pop culture-obsessed Aussies who love David Lynch, Magic the Gathering and talking about things we've seen!

In our first episode we discuss Blue Beetle, one of the last gasps of the DC Extended Universe and a fun little standalone superhero diversion. We question Susan Sarandon's credentials as a supervillain, marvel at the Cronenburgian body horror and ruminate on the bigger problems with how DC's done films so far.

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Blue Beetle (Slice of Cherry Guys #1)

It's Wednesday, December 20, and Chris and Dave have a case to solve - can they be better investigators in the procedural sandbox detective game that is Shadows of Doubt? Because while the game itself is fantastic, their deductive skills and ability to navigate the voxel-fuelled procedural world without getting into fistfights with the locals leave a lot to be desired.

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Shadows Of Doubt  (Slice of Cherry Guys #2)

It's a mash-up, a remix, a crossover, an alternate reality, and the strangest use of corporate gaming icons we've ever seen - like it or not, Captain Laserhawk left an impression on us! Dive with us into the twisted mind of Adi Shankar's Bootleg Universe and see what happens when a major video game company lets someone turn their IP into an insanely violent, drug-fuelled trip through a future dystopia!

Make sure to tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com

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Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix (Slice of Cherry Guys #3)

Happy New Year! First up for 2024: An offering from the Slice of Cherry Guys.

We're tackling Sleep Token, one of the best new metal acts with an intriguing mythology to go with it. Dave unpacks a compelling way to listen to their most recent album, "Take Me Back to Eden", as a paean to toxic love and devotion, whilst Chris dives (heh) into the water-themed depressive lyrics of "This Place Will Become Your Tomb" as a metaphor for surrendering to hopelessness. A lot of divergence between our hosts in this one, but one thing we agree on is that Chris *really* needs to listen to "Sundowning" (which he still hasn't).

Make sure you tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

Sleep Token (Slice of Cherry Guys #4)

Down, down, down by the podcast, it's time to gather your ears and venture forth! (yes, I'm as horrified by the image of "gathering ears" as you are)

It's won tons of awards, spun up a passionate fan community, and made people very, very thirsty. This week Baldur's Gate 3 gets the Cherry treatment as Dave outlines a darkly hilarious playthrough and Chris feels very real anguish at the House of Sorrow (as of this writing he's *still* stuck). Does the standout roleplaying game of 2023 hold up to Slice of Cherry Guys scrutiny?

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

Baldur's Gate 3 (Slice of Cherry Guys #5)

Come on Oppie, let's go party!

It was the Hollywood movie mash-up event of 2023, an unholy fusion of calendar planning, Internet virality and counterprogramming. What seemed like a random pairing of two films that couldn't be more different is actually an exemplar of marketing skills - and if you look close, as the Slice of Cherry Guys do, you find there's more linking Barbie and Oppenheimer than you'd think.

Tell us what you think at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

SIDEBAR: Chris erroneously forgot to reference the late Martin J Sherwin who, along with Kai Bird, co-wrote "American Prometheus", the excellent biography of Oppenheimer that inspired the film. Our sincere apologies to Professor Sherwin.

EXTRA LINKS:

Read more about American Prometheus and its Pulitzer Prize win in 2006: https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/kai-bird-and-martin-j-sherwin

The "Actors on Actors" interview between Cillian Murphy and Margot Robbie, which discusses Barbenheimer: https://variety.com/2023/film/features/cillian-murphy-margot-robbie-barbenheimer-memes-box-office-success-1235820469/

IndieWire interview with Andrew Jackson, VFX supervisor, discussing the practical effects of Oppenheimer: https://www.indiewire.com/features/craft/oppenheimer-atomic-blast-vfx-christopher-nolan-dneg-1234893311/

Nerdist article outlining the upcoming Mattel Cinematic Universe: https://nerdist.com/article/after-barbie-mattel-cinematic-universe-already-has-14-movies-in-development-wishbone-barney-uno-and-more/

Barbenheimer (Slice of Cherry Guys #6)

Wake the hell up, choom. We've got a game to review.

Over three years since its fraught launch in 2020, Cyberpunk 2077 is finally complete in every sense of the word. The bugs are (mostly) gone, DLC added, awards awarded. Now the dust has settled on one of gaming's most controversial titles, the Slice of Cherry guys are revisiting Night City, rockstar rebel Keanu Reeves, and a world that's as cerebral as it is kitschy.

Buckle up, chooms, and meet us at the Afterlife.

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

Cyberpunk 2077 (Slice of Cherry Guys #7)

In 2020 one of Wall Street's weirdest moments kicked off thanks to a stock market app, a toxic subreddit, and some everyday traders motivated by Deep F***ing Value. The GameStop stock shorting not only sent the 1% into a tailspin, but also led to a movie (based on a bestselling book) that more often than not comes across as a good but shallow retread of The Big Short. Maybe it needed Margot Robbie in a bathtub explaining how Reddit works.

As two people who both watched the movie about this cultural moment and were there as it was happening in real time - because, y'know, it was only three years ago - Chris and Dave put Dumb Money under the Slice of Cherry Guys microscope to see if they just like the stock.

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

EXTRA LINKS:
Vox article explaining the GameStop incident in more detail: https://www.vox.com/money/2023/9/15/23873474/dumb-money-gamestop-stock-keith-gill-melvin-capital-review

TIME Magazine piece on the real folks behind Dumb Money: https://time.com/6315779/dumb-money-real-people/

Wikipedia page for Ben Mezrich's book The Antisocial Network, which inspired the film: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Antisocial_Network

The Folding Ideas documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pYeoZaoWrA

Dumb Money (Slice of Cherry Guys #8)

It's Pokémon with guns. And crafting. And base-building. And Legend of Zelda-style open world boss battles.

Ok, maybe it's not *entirely* Pokémon with guns.

At time of writing Palworld is the hot controversial game of the day, and the Slice of Cherry Guys are here to see if the allegations of plagiarism, AI asset-making and video game slavery hold water. One thing to keep in mind - as Chris learned to his soul-crushing detriment - is that Palworld is definitely not a Pokémon clone, and if you're looking for the next big way to catch 'em all then this ain't it. Though, as Dave also points out, The Pokémon Company should at least be taking *some* notes...

Also, you should really check out Cassette Beasts.

Shout-out to our listener JCR who suggested this ep!

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

SIDEBAR: Apologies for the audio at the end as Chris's bub had a horrible teething incident that the mic picked up - rest assured he is ok now!

EXTRA LINKS:
Gematsu article with initial release notes for Palworld in Early Access: https://www.gematsu.com/2024/01/palworld-launches-in-early-access-on-january-19-for-xbox-series-xbox-one-and-pc

VGC article summarising plagiarism and AI claims: https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/palworld-embroiled-in-ai-and-pokemon-plagiarism-controversy/

The Pokémon Company official statement on "Inquiries Regarding Other Companies’ Games":https://corporate.pokemon.co.jp/media/news/detail/335.html

IGN article breaking down TPC's statement: https://www.ign.com/articles/the-pokemon-company-makes-an-official-statement-on-palworld-we-intend-to-investigate

Slate article explaining The Squint Test in relation to fashion: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2009/05/protecting-fashion-designers-from-copycats.html

Wikipedia article summarising Tetris Holding, LLC v. Xio Interactive, Inc., the case that introduced The Squint Test to videogame litigation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetris_Holding,_LLC_v._Xio_Interactive,_Inc.

PCMag review of Cassette Beasts: https://au.pcmag.com/nintendo-games/100513/cassette-beasts

URB Article about Giorgio Moroder recording with Daft Punk (for anyone who listened to the stinger): https://web.archive.org/web/20130201075033/http://www.urb.com/2012/05/25/breaking-giorgio-moroder-recorded-with-daft-punk/

Palworld (Slice of Cherry Guys #9)

What do you get when you combine a popular horror game franchise, a baffling subplot about child kidnapping and PTSD, some pretty great (and practical) animatronics, and a two-dimensional performance from a Hunger Games lead actor who *isn't* Jennifer Lawrence?

Let's not mince words, folks: the FNAF movie is a bit of a mess tonally, narratively and structurally. Dave looks more kindly on the financially-successful adaptation of one of the internet's biggest video game streaming phenomena. Chris hates everything to do with the aforementioned kidnapping plot and its place in a film where a guy gets mauled by a cupcake with teeth. But at the end of the day, both Slice of Cherry Guys agree that those practical animatronics are pretty kickass.

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

EXTRA LINKS:
James Stephanie Sterling giving a potted history of the FNAF franchise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsOLvDzaFYY

Meagan Navarro's review at Bloody Disgusting that hits a lot of the nails on the head that we do: https://bloody-disgusting.com/reviews/3785751/five-nights-at-freddys-review/

Five Nights At Freddy's: The Movie (Slice of Cherry Guys #10)

After Shadows of Doubt, Baldur's Gate 3 and Palworld it seems we're styling ourselves as "players of games we love but suck at". In that spirit, let's talk about 2023's corporate-flavoured roguelike where you have no weapons, an insane monthly quota to meet and slavering monsters aching to devour you. Also there's screaming. Lots and lots of screaming.

While there's not a lot to talk about for Lethal Company, what is there *slaps*. Wild monster designs? Player items delivered by a flying Christmas tree? Realistic in-game radios that get muffled or cut off as the eldritch horrors smother you to death? You couldn't ask for a more horrifying or hilarious trek through the stars.

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

Lethal Company (Slice of Cherry Guys #11)

Some thoughts have a certain sound...so we put more than a few in this episode.

Welcome to our new (and *very* occasional) sub-series, A LITTLE BIT LYNCHY, where we explore the oeuvre of the director who brought us closer together: Mr. David Lynch. These episodes run longer than usual and we go far deeper into the weeds as we unpack both the wonderful and the strange of one of America's best cinematic artists.

To celebrate this month's release of a tiny little movie you may have heard of called Dune: Part Two, this week we're discussing Lynch's own take on Frank Herbert's magnum opus. While the spice does flow here it's not always in the right direction; Dave highlights the folly in condensing an 800-page book into two hours of Star Wars-lite, while Chris discusses how Lynch lost final cut - and his love for the film itself - thanks to Universal Studios being a bit of a dick (#ReleaseTheLynchCut). In addition to the inevitable comparisons to Denis Villeneuve's fantastic new films, we also talk about the highly quotable Lynch-original dialogue, the weirdness of Sting's casting, the problematic undertones of Baron Harkonnen, how it is that Patrick Stewart pulls off that mullet, and the generally wonderful human being that is Kyle MacLachlan (and the two *very* big Hollywood actors who almost got his role as Paul).

As I said, we go deep on this one!

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com! Long live the listeners!

EXTRA LINKS:
Amazon link for Max Evry's *amazing* book "A Masterpiece in Disarray: An Oral History of David Lynch's Dune", which was a big help for this episode and you should definitely read: https://www.amazon.com.au/Masterpiece-Disarray-David-Lynchs-History/dp/1948221292

David Lynch discusses not having final cut on Dune and why he distances himself from the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlE7DZrzik0

The unofficial Spicediver Edit of Dune '84, with 4K upscaling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faHQA_0d9Mo

Radio Times article about Sid Sheinberg's terrible alternate name for Back to the Future, and the memo he wrote about it: https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/back-to-the-future-almost-had-a-really-bad-title/

Patrick Stewart speaking at a convention about the weird story of his Dune casting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K_ficZ_ciE

Trailer for Jodorowsky's Dune, the documentary about Alejandro Jodorowsky's amazing aborted attempt at adapting Dune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0cJNR8HEw0

Dune 1984 (A Little Bit Lynchy Special Episode #1)

And they say Hollywood's run out of ideas.

From the mind of Brian Duffield and the (very) expressive acting of Kaitlyn Dever comes the indie-ish alien invasion/mute redemption story you never knew you wanted. In the same way A Quiet Place took the cute horror gimmick of total silence and ran with it, No One Will Save You is a masterpiece of physical subtlety and rich visual language. Dave points out fantastic monster designs, Chris waves lyrical about Dever's ability to say so much with zero words, and both the Slice of Cherry Guys agree that the ending - love it or hate it - really commits to what it's doing in the best way.

This is one of those excellent hidden gems that will thrive on word of mouth, so consider this our recommendation to hit up Disney+ right now and get a movie night going!

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

EXTRA LINKS:
The Polygon article which highlighted the bugnuts theory about Brynn being "humanity's greatest killer": https://www.polygon.com/23894437/no-one-will-save-you-ending-explained-theory

Fangoria interview with director Brian Duffield that sheds more light on the film: https://www.fangoria.com/original/the-spoiler-interview-brian-duffield-on-no-one-will-save-you/

No One Will Save You (Slice of Cherry Guys #12)

A long time ago, on a streaming platform far, far away...

*cue theme music*

It is a dark time for the Star Wars franchise. Although the sequel trilogy was a hit, the demands of franchise upkeep have driven audiences from the cinema and pursued them to the world of streaming. 

Evading the dreaded franchise fatigue, a group of shows led by The Mandalorian has established a new sub-franchise on the remote streaming platform of Disney+. 

Dave Filoni, obsessed with completing the story he began in The Clone Wars, has dispatched many episodes of television into the far reaches of the internet - but with the Ahsoka series, he may have found his limits...

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

Ahsoka (Slice of Cherry Guys #13)

Let's have dinner!

It's the short, sweet and surreal tale of a guy who's an owl. What more is there to say?

Well, actually, a fair bit. The Slice of Cherry Guys dive into the quickfire brilliance of BoringSuburbanDad (no seriously, that's the developer's name) and see how old school point-and-click adventure gaming works with the story of a guy who is *literally* an owl. Be sure to look out for Owl Observatory when it drops later this year!

Thanks so much to Lonie for suggesting this episode!

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

Dinnner With An Owl (Slice of Cherry Guys #14)

HAVE A CUP OF LIBER-TEA WITH YOUR SLICE OF CHERRY GUYS!

To say Helldivers II's runaway success came unexpectedly is an understatement. The sequel to a little-known twin stick shooter, developed by an indie game studio from Sweden, has become the Next Big Thing. This is the little anti-bug, anti-robot, Starship Troopers-esque Player-vs-Enemy shoot-em-up that could, and does, kick all the ass. Amongst the gung-ho patriotism, shiny armour sets and massacring alien insects the Slice of Cherry Guys find a great game experience relying on basic fundamentals (emphasis on "fun"). To put it in a nutshell, this is a game where you go blow up alien bugs while shouting "DEMOCRACY". What's not to love?

Also, that dropship extraction music *slaps*.

Big thanks to Jezza for suggesting this episode!

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com

EDITOR'S NOTE: Please excuse Chris's terrible audio at the beginning as he had his microphone around the wrong way - it clears up at the 6-minute mark!

EXTRA LINKS:
Bloomberg's piece on Helldivers II's unexpected popularity:https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2024-03-15/-helldivers-2-is-a-surprise-hit-for-sony-in-an-oversaturated-market?embedded-checkout=true

IGN article on Arrowhead Studios rejecting adding PVP: https://www.ign.com/articles/helldivers-2-dev-says-it-will-never-add-pvp-because-it-wants-to-reduce-toxic-elements-from-the-community

Helldivers II (Slice of Cherry Guys #15)

Lost and alone in a forest of cannibals.

This week gets into the horror of it all as the Slice of Cherry Guys become Sons of the Forest. A journalist sent to rescue missing billionaires goes full "LOST" to survive on a forested island while uncovering the strange eldritch secrets of its inhabitants. You will chop so many trees, fry so many fish, and get mauled by so many cannibals.

We played this (almost) on Day One of Early Access and have charted its progress to full release in February 2024, so it's safe to say we're pretty knowledgeable about this optional solo/co-op FPS that meshes pretty trees and carniverous mutants. We found it a challenge but managed to master it through many hours of gameplay especially in Early Access.

So believe us when we tell you that the full game got *much* harder. And, as a result, *muuuuuuch* scarier. You will long for the days of infinite painkillers.

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

Sons Of The Forest (Slice of Cherry Guys #16)

#TheyReleasedTheSnyderCut

In 2017 Zack Snyder stepped down from directing the "Justice League" film in the wake of personal tragedy. After Joss Whedon stepped in to "fix" the film - resulting in a critical drubbing and a box office bomb, as well as multiple problematic behind-the-scenes stories - vast sections of social media demanded Snyder be allowed to return and release his unaltered cinematic vision for DC's premier superhero team.

On the back of this fan pressure - including some highly toxic voices within it - Zack Snyder's Justice League was released in all its four-hour, desaturated, Knightmare-ending glory in 2021. Three years later, the Slice of Cherry Guys see whether Snyder's vision holds up (short answer: very yes). Chris laments the loss of Batffleck, Dave argues that the four hour runtime works gangbusters, and both agree that Darkseid, the would-be Thanos of the DCEU played by Ray Porter, is *really* freaking good.

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

---
NOTE: There is a tangled history of the Snyder Cut movement which involves harmful, toxic harassment from sections of the DCEU fanbase which led to the film's release. While we largely don't discuss that toxicity in this episode, we do point you to some resources that unpack it in more detail. Please give them a read:

Vanity Fair article by Joanna Robinson on the Snyder Cut's release being a "victory for toxic fandoms": https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/05/is-releasing-the-snyder-cut-a-victory-for-toxic-fandoms

Vox article by Aja Romano on the Snyder Cut's release, the problems inherent to the movement, and the dangerous precedent it sets: https://www.vox.com/22339680/zack-snyder-cut-justice-league-hbo-max-toxic-fandom-backlash

Radio Times article by David Craig discussing the Snyder Cut being "tainted" by the harassment of the movement: https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/release-the-snyder-cut-toxic-fans/
---

EXTRA LINKS:
Red Letter Media's "Release the Snyder Cut!" video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNp3Q0AfXRg

Original "Snyder Cut" trailer using Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTXrl8H6luI

Vanity Fair interview with Zack Snyder in 2021 discussing the history of the Snyder Cut: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/02/the-true-story-of-justice-league-snyder-cut

The Hollywood Reporter interview with Ray Fisher discussing Joss Whedon, the 2017 theatrical cut and the problems in both: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/feature/ray-fisher-opens-up-about-justice-league-joss-whedon-and-warners-i-dont-believe-some-of-these-people-are-fit-for-leadership-4161658/

Wikipedia article for the Snyder Cut (make sure to read the references!): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zack_Snyder%27s_Justice_League

Zack Snyder's Justice League (Slice of Cherry Guys #17)

20,000 light years under the sea.

To celebrate one year since it left Early Access, the Slice of Cherry Guys dive (heh) into the space submarine hell that is Barotrauma. It's yet another entry in the "games we love but suck at" category but this one comes with the added bonuses of space octopi and dodgy undersea navigation. Suffice to say that plumbing the depths of Europa in a leaky sub crewed by dodgy AI with fuel cells that keep exploding doesn't make for the easiest adventure.

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

Barotrauma (Slice of Cherry Guys #18)

Gonna burn this goddamn house right down.

It's a simple story. Nerd boy meets rich boy. Nerd boy gets brought to rich boy's manor house. Nerd boy meets rich boy's upper crust family. Nerd boy comes out of his shell. *Stuff happens.*

With a stacked cast, rich cinematography and an immaculate Sophie Ellis-Bextor dance number, Saltburn has it all. The Slice of Cherry Guys debate 2023's old money black comedy on its own merits and as a representation of "shock" films that gain a certain rep which obscures some of the layers underneath. Because trust us, there's much more to this movie than discussing bathtub drains on TikTok.

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

EXTRA LINKS:
Barry Keoghan interview with Variety discussing making Saltburn and improvising scenes: https://variety.com/2023/film/features/barry-keoghan-saltburn-gravesite-dance-scenes-oliver-1235838728/

Saltburn (Slice of Cherry Guys #19)

Now THIS is podracing.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of its release, the Slice of Cherry Guys go back a long time ago to a galaxy far far away...in 1999. The first Star Wars film released since Return of the Jedi had all the Hollywood hype it could want, but audiences weren't keen on space trade disputes, wooden acting and far too much CGI. But even so, as the Guys discuss, there are things to like about the first film in the prequel trilogy (and if you take Chris's word for it, at least it's not as bad as The Rise of Skywalker).

Stay tuned past the end credits for the first episode of our new spin-off*, "Slice of Star Wars Merch"!

*Not an actual spin-off

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

EXTRA LINKS:
A fascinating 20-year retrospective on The Phantom Menace by Justin Charity at The Ringer: https://www.theringer.com/movies/2019/3/28/18282707/star-wars-phantom-menace-episode-one-george-lucas-1999

An oral history of The Phantom Menace's production posted by StarWars.com, including interviews with George Lucas: https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-episode-i-the-phantom-menace-oral-history

Link to "The Redemption of Jar Jar Binks" podcast hosted by Dylan Marron: https://www.ted.com/podcasts/the-redemption-of-jar-jar-binks

Photo of the Darth Maul lightsaber candy dispenser: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/lqwAAOSwdyljRMUd/s-l1200.jpg

The Phantom Menace (Slice of Cherry Guys #20)

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode deals with some sensitive subject matter, including discussions of Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew and sexual assault. Please skip this episode if you think any of these topics will affect you, and consult the resources in the Extra Links below for additional support.

Believe it or not, journalism *isn't* dead.

Based off the book of the same name by former BBC journalist Sam McCallister, Scoop is a fictionalised retelling of how hard-hitting journalism blew the lid off a scandal involving a member of the UK Royal Family and a sex offender. Centred on the stories of three women in Prince Andrew's orbit, it has all the ingredients of a quality film: great casting, a riveting plot, a tense chase scene to rival Mission Impossible. But somehow it just doesn't come together, leaving the Slice of Cherry Guys to talk over the pitfalls of half-baked biopic films that favour plot over character.

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

EXTRA LINKS:

Find A Hotline: suicide and crisis prevention for any country - https://findahelpline.com/

Lifeline (for Australian listeners): https://www.lifeline.org.au/

Amazon link to Sam McCallister's book "Scoops: Behind the Scenes of the Most Shocking BBC Interviews" - https://www.amazon.com.au/Scoops-Behind-Scenes-Shocking-Interviews/dp/0861544404

Billie Piper meets the real Sam McCallister - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-lUrPnmBBY

Scoop (Slice of Cherry Guys #21)

Farming and fishing have never been so relaxing and stressful.

Nearly a decade on and following its acclaimed 1.6 patch on PC, Stardew Valley is still the high watermark of farming sims. You can plant. You can water. You can fish. You can romance. You can fight slimes in a cave. Most escapist of all, you can own a home for a reasonable price (and with no mortgage!).

As veteran farmhands of Stardew Valley, the Slice of Cherry Guys discuss their continued love of the game, the tricky nature of who is "best girl or guy", and their favourite aspects of being a farmer. Also, Chris still is and will always be the fish-shaman.

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

EXTRA LINKS:
Amazon link to Jason Schreier's book Blood, Sweat and Pixels, which has a chapter on Stardew Valley's troubled creation: https://www.amazon.com.au/Blood-Sweat-Pixels-Triumphant-Turbulent/dp/0062651234

Polygon interview with Eric Barrone (ConcernedApe) about the 1.6 PC patch: https://www.polygon.com/24087605/stardew-valley-1-6-update-concert-series-haunted-chocolatier

Retrospective review by Inverse about Stardew Valley's continued success in 2023: https://www.inverse.com/gaming/stardew-valley-7th-anniversary

Stardew Valley (Slice of Cherry Guys #22)

Pie...pie never changes.

While every viewer and their Dog(meat) enjoys the spectacular wonder that is the Fallout TV series on Prime Video, the Slice of Cherry Guys step backwards (and forwards?) into the franchise's roots. From top-down 2D RPG to full 3D first-person shooter/action game/thieving simulator, from clicker iPhone game to massive online microtransactions, the Fallout franchise has had a long and varied history of hits and misses (and also New Vegas, one of the greatest video games ever made). While the Guys promise they will get to the TV series very soon, for now enjoy a retrospective look at one of gaming's most enduring post-apocalyptic fancies.

Also, you really should play New Vegas. Go ahead. We'll wait.

EXTRA LINKS:
hbomberguy video explaining why Fallout: New Vegas is brilliant: https://youtu.be/gzF7aHxk4Y4?si=IrrfQ7kmTH3R58jA

Forbes article by Erik Kain from 2018, explaining some of the (many) issues with Fallout 76: https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2018/12/05/the-5-biggest-problems-with-fallout-76/?sh=244e7a39576e

Shacknews article by David Craddock "World on Fire: The Oral History of Fallout and Fallout 2": https://www.shacknews.com/article/114982/world-on-fire-the-oral-history-of-fallout-and-fallout-2

Fallout: The Games (Slice of Cherry Guys #23)

Thanks for Tuning in!

After charging Chris to see this film during the "Scoop" review, he finally did - and whoooo boy is there a lot to talk about. As part of the excellent wave of "90s grimdark" that saw movies like Event Horizon, Gattaca and (especially) The Matrix take centre stage, Dark City is one of those fantastic films that makes you *think things*. So much so that weeks later, editing this episode, we're still thinking about tall men in trenchcoats, Jennifer Connelly as a nightclub singer, the endearingly-dodgy special effects, the weirdness of Dr. Kiefer Sutherland, and the cavalcade of truly bonkers twists that lead up to an ending you don't expect. A truly underappreciated classic presented for you here.

Also, Rufus Sewell needs to be in more films.

EXTRA LINKS:
The original Dark City intro with opening narration - MASSIVE SPOILERS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57Ms1KeI458

Dark City (Slice of Cherry Guys #24)

Ok, stay with me on this.

Cyberswine might be the most obscure property the Slice of Cherry Guys will ever talk about. It's a "multipath movie" from the 1990s about a cybernetic police officer who's also a pig, and how he reconciles the biological and the technological on a day when the world of the future is beset by a virus. Together with his tough-talking human partner Sarah, Cyberswine investigates the heart of corruption in the city, avoids multiple murder attempts from robots and citizens, and fights a cyborg chicken. Throughout it all, the - viewer? player? - gets to choose moral courses of action as Cyberswine can either be a nice little piggy or an angry little piggy.

Look, we expect *maybe* one listener out there (hi, Frank!) to know this property even existed, much less to have seen it. But between the YouTube link below, our adequate plot summary and the images you will evoke in your head by just speaking the name "Cyberswine" we think you'll be covered. Also, as we'll discuss, maybe movie-game-things like this died out for a very good reason (and not just because the graphis were...well, see you for yourself).

Tell us what you think at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

EXTRA LINKS:
Cyberswine "pacifist" playthrough uploaded in full: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_NreIaC8C0

Cyberswine original trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AGsnZRAzwU

TIME Magazine article from 1998 by Josh Quittner about technology changes, which discusses Cyberswine: https://time.com/archive/6732927/technology-future-shocks/

Cyberswine (Slice of Cherry Guys #25)

TRIGGER WARNING: Given the discussions of seppuku (ritual suicide) and self-harm in this episode, you may want to skip this one. Please consult the resources in the show notes.

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TORANAGA-SAMA!

One of 2024's best television shows finally gets the Slice of Cherry Guys treatment. Chris waxes lyrical about Japanese culture and one of the most emotionally-complex scenes he's ever watched, Dave applauds the distancing of Game of Thrones comparisons, and both Guys agree that the show is just absolutely gorgeous. Like the falcon against the sun waiting to strike, we've waited long enough to talk about Shogun.

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

EXTRA LINKS:
Find A Hotline: suicide and crisis prevention for any country - findahelpline.com/

Lifeline (for Australian listeners): www.lifeline.org.au/

Link to the Shogun Official Podcast (listen after you watch each episode): https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/shogun/viewers-guide/podcast

USA Today interview with Hiroyuki Sanada discussing producing Shogun and including authenticity: https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2024/02/28/shogun-producer-hiroyuki-sanada-interview/72702443007/

Hollywood Reporter interview with Hiroyuki Sanada on the show's Japanese reception: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/shogun-hiroyuki-sanada-japan-epic-season-2-1235841825/

Esquire interview with Anna Sawai about being part of Shogun: https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a60504025/anna-sawai-shogun-mariko-interview/

Shogun (Slice of Cherry Guys #26)

We're Chris and Dave - best friends, gamers, and opinionated pop culture people!

Each week we talk about something that catches our fancy: movies, TV, video games, music, nothing's off limits. We often disagree with each other but we *always* have good chats with strong opinions and perspectives.

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