Top Secret: The Bionic Commando Podcast

Top Secret File 024: Rearmed Post Mortem, Part 2

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Ben continues in Sweden with the Rearmed team figuring out what went magnificently right and what crashed and burned in Rearmed, while in Japan, the Top Secret team are running their mouths about another gaming theme.

Top Secret File 023: Rearmed Post Mortem

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Direct from Sweden, Ben talks to Simon Viklund, the BCR Director, as well as the Lead Programmer and Art Director, to find out how Rearmed was made, what went right - and what could have been done better. Meanwhile back in the studio, the crew introduce a new section to the podcast. Tell us what you think!

Top Secret File 022: Everything Changes

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Top Secret team says a temporary goodbye to one member, welcomes a new member, christens another "Iceboy" and talks about the issue of controls in games and gives an update on next-gen Bionic Commando. Also: in case you haven't bought a copy of Rearmed on 360 yet, we're giving copies away! Listen in to find out how.

Top Secret File 021: The Bionic Commando Story

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Jon and Miguel take the reins of the podcast to turn the tables on on the usual hosts and put them in the hot seat! Story is the name of the game in this podcast as we talk about our favorite game stories, the development of the story in the BC games, and how comics tie it all together.

Top Secret File 020: CheapyD, Cheap Ass Gamer

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

CheapyD from Cheap Ass Gamer joins the podcast to discuss his love of bargains, being a podcast legend and the madness that is being a Westerner living in Japan. Where in the world can you get the best videogame bargains? CheapyD joins us from Tokyo to find out, on the 20th episode of Top Secret!

Top Secret File 019: Steve Blum, the Voice of Super Joe

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Cowboy Bebop's Spike Spiegel, Naruto's Orochimaru, X-Men's Wolverine - voice actor Steve Blum has played them all, and now he's adding Capcom's legendary hero Super Joe to the list! Steve joins us from California for this podcast to discuss what it's like to play pop culture's coolest characters, and what it was like becoming a videogames legend.

Top Secret File 018: The World's Biggest Capcom Fans

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

We're joined by five fans from Capcom's official Capcom-Unity forums, who were lucky enough to attend the Captivate08 event and see Bionic Commando in action (along with other minor Capcom titles Resident Evil 5 and Street Fighter 4). With Billy Berghammer returning as special guest host, this is a Top Secret for the Capcom fanboy in all of us!

Top Secret File 017: Shane Bettenhausen, Garnett Lee and Jeff Gerstmann

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Giants of the gaming media join us direct from Capcom's Captivate08 event in Las Vegas! Resident Evil 5, Street Fighter 4 and Ben Judd’s dirty laundry are all laid bare, and with a special guest host in Billy Berghammer, and a surprise appearance by a mystery Capcom producer, it’s the most star-studded, profanity-laden, ill-advised podcast we’ve ever produced!

Top Secret File 016: The Top Secret Team

Tue, 27 May 2008 08:35:14 GMT

The Top Secret team arrange a hastily-convened podcast, where matters such as sex in games, gaming violence, and the release date of Bionic Commando Rearmed are laid bare. Who needs guests with this level of discussion?!

Top Secret File 015: Lars Bonde, Lead Animator

Tue, 13 May 2008 21:30:58 GMT

We talk animation and Danish bacon with Lars Bonde, the lead animator at Grin. Find out what turns a mass of polygons into a living character and how cut scenes get made - and in a special update, we'll tell you when you can expect to be playing BCR.

Top Secret File 014: IGN's Anoop Gantayat and Destructoid's Brad Rice

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:18:32 GMT

In a change to our scheduled programming, IGN's Anoop Gantayat and Destructoid's Brad Rice join us on the podcast after taking part in our Three Days of the Commando multiplayer event. We talk Japan with these Oriental experts, as well as answering a small mountain of reader mail and playing the Bionic 1980s Game. It's a special leg warmers and chest hair Top Secret!

Top Secret File 013: Insomniac Games' Full Moon Show

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:51:24 GMT

James and Ryan from Insomniac Games, the makers of Resistance and Ratchet & Clank, join us for a special podcast crossover. We compare Western and Japanese gaming philosophies, and wax philosophical about you guys, the fans! Plus, we explain everything you need to know to learn Japanese. Check out the next Full Moon Show on April 17th to hear the Top Secret team in action!

Top Secret File 012: Christian Svensson, VP of Strategic Planning & Business Development, Capcom USA

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:45:05 GMT

Christian Svensson joins us from across the Pacific to talk about the rebirth of Okami on the Wii, as well as the challenges of bringing Japanese games to the West and the future of Capcom. Christian also talks about Capcom's other downloadable titles, including Super Street Fighter II HD Remix!

Top Secret File 011: Kris Zimmerman, Voice Director, & Chip Beaman, Voiceover Manager

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 11:17:13 GMT

Top Secret goes on location at the voice recording session of Bionic Commando in Hollywood, California, as we talk to Soundelux VO manager Chip Beaman, and the Voice Director of Bionic Commando, Kris Zimmerman. We find out what it takes to make a game sound great, and explore the mixed past of Capcom voiceovers.

Top Secret File 010: Minae Matsukawa, Producer, Ace Attorney series

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:17:21 GMT

There can be no objections to this week's special guest - the producer of the Ace Attorney series, Minae Matsukawa! To coincide with the release of Ace Attorney: Apollo Justice, Matsukawa-san will be talking about the development of the popular handheld series, being a female producer in Japan, and the future of the series. She'll also be deciding which lucky listener will win signed AA goods taken straight from the evidence locker.

Top Secret File 009: Mark MacDonald and John Ricciardi, Games Industry Veterans

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 09:42:06 GMT

It's two gaming media veterans for the price of one: podcast legend and "Gaming Jesus" Mark MacDonald, and the co-founder of localization company 8-4 and longtime Japan resident John Ricciardi, join us on the show, discussing the games industry in Japan and abroad. We'll also be talking about the Alpha version of Bionic Commando, and debating the price point for Bionic Commando Rearmed. Have your say!

Top Secret File 008: Ryan Payton, Assistant Producer, Kojima Productions

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 21:43:44 GMT

Two podcasts collide as Capcom's Top Secret goes up against Konami's Kojima Productions Report! The assistant producer at Kojima Productions, Ryan Payton, tells us about Metal Gear Solid 4 and working with Hideo Kojima, while we choose the worst and hardest classic games to play through this year, and deliver the official response to the petition calling for Bionic Commando on Wii!

Top Secret File 007: Simon Viklund, Director 'Bionic Commando Rearmed'

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:20:22 GMT

Simon Viklund, the Director of Bionic Commando Rearmed, joins the podcast today to tell us all about this fantastic return to side-scrolling action. Everything you want to know about Rearmed is right here. The multi-talented Simon also makes all of us feel worthless in comparison, as he discusses the music in Bionic Commando, where he is the Sound Director.

Top Secret File 006: Brian Ashcraft, Kotaku

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 11:13:48 GMT

Kotaku's Brian Ashcraft joins us for the first Top Secret of 2008, with a heated discussion about the importance of games journalism, Kotaku and their opinion of Bionic Commando, and the state of gaming in Japan. Ring in the New Year with this frank discussion of gaming today.

Top Secret File 005: Keiji Inafune, Capcom Head of R&D

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:57:43 GMT

Keiji Inafune, the creator of Mega Man, Onimusha, Dead Rising and many more, joins us on this special festive podcast to answer listener questions about his work at Capcom, the future of Mega Man, and the best game he's played this year.

Top Secret File 004: Hironobu Takeshita, Producer 'Zack and Wiki'

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 12:00:00 GMT

Takeshita-san drops by to discuss the performance of the acclaimed Wii game, as well as the Breath of Fire series, We Love Golf, why he wants to kill all monkeys - and sings us a very strange Bionic Commando song...

Top Secret File 003: Ulf Andersson, Creative Director

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 12:00:00 GMT

This week's guest is Director Ulf Andersson, joining the team live from the home of Swedish developers GRIN, discussing story changes, character design and if we'll see colors in the final game! Ben Judd and the team also respond to your questions.

Top Secret File 002: Motohide Eshiro, Creative Advisor

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 12:00:00 GMT

Capcom Japan's Creative Advisor Motohide Eshiro joins Producer Ben Judd to discuss his role on Bionic Commando, how Capcom Japan are involved, and his thoughts on Swedish girls. The team also responds directly to your questions on Bionic Commando.

Top Secret File 001: Ben Judd, Producer

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:00:00 GMT

Bionic Commando Producer Ben Judd joins us for the first episode of Top Secret, talking about the production of the next-gen Bionic Commando, memories of the original, and if a game can make you cry.