In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh dive into Umurangi Generation, the vibrant, potent, and subversive photography game from Māori developer Naphtali Faulkner. Set in a near-future Aotearoa (New Zealand) under invasion and authoritarian control, the game asks players not to save the world, but to document its unraveling. Bryan and Josh explore how Faulkner’s anger at systemic failure, fueled by the bushfires and pandemic response, shapes the game’s unapologetic aesthetics, themes, and searing environmental storytelling. From graffiti-covered skate parks to militarized train stations, every frame you capture is an indictment, not an escape.

Bryan and Josh also discuss Umurangi Generation’s unique take on photography as play, protest, and preservation. Through its deliberately clunky movement, time-bound challenges, and varied levels, the game interrogates the tension between art and commerce, beauty and collapse. As Māori language and culture saturate its design, Umurangi Generation’s world feels deeply personal and localized, yet globally resonant. This isn’t a story of revolution or heroism—it’s a quiet, furious insistence on witnessing collapse. Join us as we unpack how Umurangi Generation turns a camera into a weapon of truth in a world on the brink.

Show Notes:

Interview containing the Quote Bryan shared: The Umurangi Generation is Asking You To Care

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Documenting the Fall

Josh - Afraid of Judgement

In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh jack into the neon-drenched, yet utterly dismal world of Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt Red’s ambitious yet turbulent foray into dystopian sci-fi. Based on Mike Pondsmith’s classic tabletop RPG, the game places players in the boots of V, a mercenary struggling to survive in the megacity of Night City while sharing brain space with a digital ghost. From bugs to bikes, dialogue quirks to faction dynamics, Josh and Bryan dissect how Cyberpunk 2077 blends cyber-noir tropes, world-building, and RPG systems, even as it wrestles with its own lofty promises and troubled launch.

We’d be remiss to leave out the game’s deep character cast and the player-driven story arcs that branch through romances, alliances, and explosive conclusions. They also break down the nuts and bolts of gameplay, from combat builds and progression to stealth, hacking, and high-octane firefights. Along the way, they examine the design of Night City itself—its architectural storytelling, traversal options, and sense of place. Whether you're a Nomad, Corpo, or Street Kid, this spoiler-filled discussion digs into the chrome and circuitry of what makes Cyberpunk 2077 flawed, fascinating, and, at times, pretty preem.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Necessary Human Element

Josh - The Spaces Between

In this episode Josh and Bryan have a relatively timely (for them) discussion of 2025’s surprise indie hit Blue Prince! Blue Prince puts you in the shoes of Simon P. Jones, a boy who recently willed the Mt. Holly Estate, a mansion owned by his deceased great uncle Herbert S. Sinclair. There’s one catch: Simon must locate a hidden 46th room within the mansion in order to secure his inheritance. In addition to this challenge the estate’s rooms continually reset and re-arrange each day. What starts as a card drafting puzzle asking the player to connect the right rooms to open the way to the 46th room evolves quickly into a nested and broad ranging puzzle to unravel the mysteries of the Mt. Holly Estate and the family that has occupied it.

Bryan and Josh very much enjoyed their time unravelling the game’s puzzles, but came away with differing opinions on how it made use of its intricate backstory, mind-bending puzzles, and random generation elements. Overall, both agree that this was a game worth experiencing for the novel ways it combined its gameplay focuses and storytelling methods. So grab your magnifying glass and get ready to investigate the Mt. Holly Hill Estate with Josh and Bryan as they discuss Blue Prince!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Roguelike Epistemic Crisis

Josh - Puzzle Versus Roguelike