Podcast Pick: Game On!

The TWIT network makes a lot of podcasts. I'm talking about a metric megaton of audio/video content. The network, started by Leo Laporte in 2005, is now home to over 25 podcasts, with even more that are inactive or on hiatus. The newest member of the family is one that is bound to become one of my favorites - Game On! This weekly show, hosted Veronica Belmont and Brian Brushwood, gives viewers a peek at the world of video gaming, and it's not one that you want to miss.

The first massive strength of Game On! is the crew behind it. The hosts are very qualified to be in control, and I couldn't think of anybody better to host a video game podcast. Veronica Belmont brings some serious experience to the table. She has been involved with podcasting almost as long as the concept has existed. Veronica started as a host/producer/all-around bad ass on CNET's Buzz Out Loud podcast, one of the first podcasts I ever listened to. She broke the hearts of BOL fanboys across the globe when she left CNET in 2007, but made up for it by returning as the host of Mahalo Daily, a video show. A year later she joined the staff of Revision3, one of the biggest web television networks as co-host of Tekzilla. Belmont even worked for Sony's gaming division for a time as host of Qore on Playstation Network. It's very hard to find somebody that has more experience with new media than Veronica Belmont. All the while, she's been a huge video game fanatic. For a long time, it wasn't uncommon to catch her mentioning her Warcraft guild, even on shows that weren't focused on gaming. (I had the privilege of running into her at Comic-Con one year, and she's even more friendly and beautiful in real life than on camera).

Veronica Belmont and Brian Brushwood are the very talented hosts of "Game On!"Brian Brushwood doesn't have quite the impressive resume that Veronica has, but he makes up for it in pure magic. Literally. Brian Brushwood is actually a very talented magician. Besides that he's also hosted a wide variety of internet shows, including Scam School on Revision3, as well as Framerate and NSFW on the TWiT network. If I've learned anything from watching Brian on these shows, it's that he has an awesome sense of humor and is incredibly smart. He's a very quick thinker, which is important in live media.

The hosts of Game On! share an incredible devotion to gaming. These aren't the kind of folks that only play video games because it's in their job description. Brian and Veronica would be up all night playing Skyrim and Star Wars: The Old Republic regardless of their job status as podcast hosts. Their pure passion for gaming is on display every single time they discuss games, including during last night's inaugural episode. You can feel how invested they are in their subject matter, and that kind of impression is very difficult to fake.

Veronica and Brian aren't the only people that contribute to the show's awesomeness. The hard working team at TWiT ensure that the downloadable versions are edited promptly and posted to iTunes. The dedication of producer Chad "OMGChad" Johnson is already evident. The always hilarious, but not always appropriate Justin Robert Young has also lent his talents as a writer for the show. The final piece of the "Game On!" puzzle is the awesome community. Fellow viewers in the TWiT IRC and "Game On!" Reddit make watching the show a social experience. Many members of the TWiT community are generous enough to donate their time as moderators to make sure that these public forums are a friendly place for everyone.

Game On! is supported by advertisements, but they were very brief and unobtrusive in the first episode. They are not currently sponsored by any video game companies, so conflicts of interest are not a problem. If they do eventually secure a gaming sponsor, I trust their judgment to be as bias free as possible. It's never been a problem before on other TWiT network shows.

The first guests on "Game On!" were David Jaffe and his adorable children.The different segments of the show look very promising. The tightly written features are boosted by the impeccable delivery of Brian and Veronica. I found Brian's Top 5 segment to be miles ahead of similar videos on G4 and IGN (Although, I do think the selection of Mass Effect 2 is debatable. To each his own, I suppose).Veronica's flashback segment was quite entertaining. The production value of the pre-recorded segments and transitions is of noticeable quality. The David Jaffe interview was also a great choice to open this new podcast. Veronica has great skills at interviewing, and has a ton of experience in interacting with guests. Jaffe, creator of Twisted Metal and God of War, gave very genuine responses, and it was relieving that he wasn't just trying to sell his upcoming game. The appearance of his daughters was also very spontaneous and funny. Apparently, Jaffe is a fun dad in addition to being a visionary game designer.

Leo Laporte made a brief appearance to review Infinity Blade II. It's a great idea to get more of the TWiT family involved. There are a ton of gamers among the TWiT hosts and producers that I'd like to see make appearances, but I'm not sure any of them will be able to top Leo's suave Infinity Blade II review. On a side note, I believe that it's a sad reality that the $5.99 games for iOS are considered expensive. If a game has the content to warrant the cost, it shouldn't be shoe horned into a budget price that is dictated by the platform it happens to be on. 

Robot Census. "Game On!" - 1, Other Podcasts - 0If I haven't already convinced you to watch this excellent show, there's only one more thing I have to let you know. They've got their own robot. Sure, he may be a bit of a troll, but one robot is better than the zero robots most other podcasts have. And as he kindly pointed out, if you don't enjoy the Game On! hosts, you can squint and pretend that it's Alex Albrecht and Felicia Day.

You can catch "Game On!" on live.twit.tv on Sundays after TWiT (6pm PST). While you're in the mood of subscribing to podcasts, don't forget to check out The Hex19 Geekcast, the official podcast of Hex19.com.