Author: stevenAdmin

It’s war! (Yes, again!) Vic and Scott go toe-to-toe over the Xbox One unveiling, and pretty much everything else. Does the TV-centric “game” console do enough for gamers? Listen, and Vic and Scott, as usual, will give you two very different takes on things. Also, Vic and Scott answer some reader mail about—what else?—the new consoles. Vic talks about his recent Scott-free road-trip to L.A., where he got his hungry thumbs on all the games which will be unveiled at E3 next month. Finally, Scott brings something called “energy balls” for the dynamic duo to snack on. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll marvel—yes, marvel—at yet another terrific subterranean visit to The Basement. Don’t miss it.

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Vic is on the road again, so he has to call into The Basement, just like a guest on an A.M. radio station. You do remember what radio is, right? Yes, Vic sounds tinny and far away, and his voice cuts out on occasion. DEAL WITH IT. Vic and Scott have a brief conversation about “The Future Of All Things.” As usual, Vic is feeling optimistic; Scott, less so. Vic is in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. for an early look at all the big games that will be on display at next month’s E3. While traveling, he ran into Ben “The Jose Wrangler” Silverman, and the two giants had an epic conversation together. Per usual these days, the show gets wistful towards the middle and, as always, pretty weird at the end. Hint: It involves Scott rubbing Vic’s mom’s feet under the table at a White Spot. Listen, and it will all make sense. Transport yourself to The Basement NOW simply by clicking on that triangle over there. Go on. We’re waiting…

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THIS WEEK ON THE BASEMENT: Vic and Scott open up the old listener mailbag and answer questions from three podcast fans. Scott complains about the fact that he desperately needs a haircut, then—how risque—confesses that he enjoys watching Netflix in bed on his iPad. Vic and Scott do a very short, very painless postmortem on Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby. (Scott liked it; Vic didn’t. Weird, right?) Also: Vic and Scott play a round of “What We’re Playing/What We’re Watching,” during which Vic confesses that the TV show Luther is on his to-watch list. And then, as always, Scott yells the word “stitcher” at the very, very end.

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The Basement Smell Report is in: Cheese smell: 8/10; Feet smell: 7/10; Unidentified smell: 3/10. Vic and Scott make room in their piquant subterranean lair for a truly special guest: actor Michael Mando. He, of course, plays Vaas Montenegro in Far Cry 3, the baddest bad guy since the Mother Brain. (Who, technically, is a woman.) (Side note: What if Mother Brain and Vaas made a baby? WHAT THEN?) Anyway, Mando was a special guest at the recent Canadian Videogame Awards. That’s where Vic and Scott became friends with Mando. Oh, and he’s also one of the stars of the TV show Orphan Black, which is really good, if you need a new TV show to watch. Mando tells all kinds of crazy stories on today’s show. And some of his stories are downright moving. No kidding. Listen, and you will be moved. Also: Vic and Scott talk Iron Man 3, which is in theaters this weekend. Vic describes the movie as “amazing.” Scott, on the other hand, wonders if Happy has any weight-related health issues. Ah, Vic and Scott: WILL THEY EVER LEARN TO GET ALONG? Let’s hope not.

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Today on The Basement: Vic and Scott do a little postmortem/pre-mortem on the 4th Annual Canadian Videogame Awards (which air this weekend on City TV and G4; check your local listings). Scott and Vic both share their favorite behind-the-scenes moments from the Awards, and from Fan Expo Vancouver, which was also held last weekend. And then things take a turn for the serious, as Vic and Scott—for the very last time, folks—offer their definitive answer on how one can get into this business. If you have aspirations to be on TV, or to cover videogames and entertainment in some capacity, today’s show qualifies as a must-listen.

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Today on The Basement: Vic and Scott find the only person in North America who actually finished Aliens: Colonial Marines. The boys grill this Mystery Person—actually, it’s our producer, Rob Koval, who is such a huge Aliens fan that he felt compelled to see the game through to completion—on the game’s ending, which sounds like it might actually be even more terrible than the game’s awful beginning. (Who would have thought that was even possible?) Man, what a P.O.S. that game is. Also: the boys get into a deep, super nerdy discussion about the Aliens universe. Finally, they talk games, Fan Expo: Vancouver (which takes place this weekend), and the Canadian Videogame Awards (which also takes place this weekend). And, as always, someone makes it weird at the end.

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Today on The Basement: Scott confesses that he’s on a spirit quest/year walk to rediscover his love of videogames. Yes, it seems that after 10 years of reviewing every game ever created, Scott HAS HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH THIS B.S. The first stop on his magical rediscovery tour: 2005’s Ico. Then Vic and Scott get a surprise visitor in The Basement: It’s Man Of Steel star MacKenzie Gray. Gray is contractually forbidden to reveal what role he plays in the film—two guesses: it’s either Luther or Brainiac—but nonetheless Gray tells us what it was like to enjoy craft services with Henry “Supes” Cavill each day. Slight spoiler: Director Zack Snyder apparently loves to have makeshift football games on his set. It’s a revealing, fascinating talk on The Basement—but then again, aren’t they all?

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THIS WEEK: We tried to get Shaun Hatton as a guest on The Basement this week. You’d think that, since he works here, this would be no problem. WELL, AS IT TURNS OUT, THIS IS A PROBLEM. Shaun was apparently TOO BUSY to join us. Maybe we’ll all learn from our mistake and remember to book Shaun at least a week in advance in the future. Anyway, today’s 100-percent Shaun-free episode features a live, on-air un-boxing of the Ultimate Songbird Edition of BioShock: Infinite. Yes, it’s the world’s first audible un-boxing. Also, Vic and Scott have some somber news to report—LucasArts, which has been making games since 1982, closed its doors this week. Vic and Scott bid adieu to the old gray lady. Then Vic and Scott read some listener mail. And, as usual, it gets weird at the end. Oh, and buy your tickets for the CVA’s and/or Fan Expo Vancouver! Vic and Scott, and maybe Shaun Hatton, will be LIVE AND IN PERSON. Yes, the people on your TV and on your computer will be STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!

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Today on The Basement, the boys get a visit from a special guest: it’s the Rocketeer himself, actor Billy Campbell. We won’t lie to you—Billy is a personal friend, and often takes Vic and Scott (well, mostly Vic) up in his Celebrity Helicopter, where they race against James Cameron and other Hollywood types in Celebrity Helicopter Races. Some highlights from the show: Billy reveals his super-nerdy gamer side; Scott reveals his man-crush on Billy; Billy gives Vic’s mom a ride to her reducing class. So, lots of fun stuff in today’s show. You should really listen to it. Seriously, it’s good. Oh, and Billy will be attending Fan Expo Vancouver next month as well as the Canadian Videogame Awards. Right there, you’ve got two opportunities to see Billy Campbell in person. And, according to Scott, he’s truly something to see. Insert wolf whistle sound effect HERE.

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On today’s show, actor Elias Toufexis—the voice of Adam Jensen in Deus Ex: Human Revolution and the just-announced host of the 2013 Canadian Videogame Awards—drives Vic’s mom to Target. Really. But before he does that, he has a chat with Vic and Scott about what it feels like to be named the host of this year’s CVA’s, which take place on April 20th in Vancouver, B.C. (Buy your tickets here.) The star of films, television shows, and countless videogames, including the upcoming Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Toufexis tells Vic and Scott how he manages to make art inside a tiny sound booth for four hours a day. Also: Vic and Scott talk about the pending release of BioShock: Infinite, which Scott describes as a Groundhog Day for the industry. Finally, if you want to know how to unlock the “Yawn Of Encouragement” in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Scott and Vic tell you how. The show begins in three, two, one…

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