Judgment – Cane and Rinse No.693

New podcast: Rescue on Fractalus! (early access) One of the first games out of Lucasfilm's freshly-formed games studio, Rescue on Fractalus! was - if nothing else - a technical tour de force in its day. Leon, Chris O'Regan, Chris Worthington and Jesse clamber aboard their Valkyrie-class rescue ships to see if, 40 years on, there's anything else worthy of note that remains. Beware of Jaggis in disguise. Available now with our affordable $2 per month Patreon. Links in bio.

New podcast: Amnesia: The Bunker “Down here, in the dark, it’s not just the monster you have to fear — it’s yourself.” Originally intended as DLC for Amnesia: Rebirth, Amnesia: The Bunker marks a step change for gameplay in the series. Chris Worthingon, Jon and Leah take a look at whether the changes were for the better, and what this means for the future for Frictional games. Available now for free from podcast outlets. Links in bio.

New podcast: Sonic Adventure (early access) Our Sonic series of podcasts continues with Blue Blur's 3D debut (proper), Sonic Adventure. Leon, Darren, Leah, Tony and a glut of forum and Patreon correspondents come together to try to make SEGA Sonic Team's Dreamcast-launcher make sense, from the opening spectacle of Emerald Coast, right through to fishing with Big the Cat. Support us through Patreon for just $2 per month. Links in bio.

Volume Fifteen, 2026.

New podcast: Castlevania Legends “There are as many legends in the world that deserve retelling as there are stars in the night sky.” Literally one person requested this podcast, so here it is. How’s that for service? In our latest Castlevania series podcast, we land on the late OG Game Boy offering, Castlevania Legends. Leon, Brian, Leah and Ryan – along with contributors from the community – ask just why this prequel was eradicated from the canon, never to be restored. Available now for free from the places where podcasts lurk. Links in bio.

New podcast: Kingdom Hearts II (early access) Who says thay a boy, a duck, and a dogman cant save the world with the power of friendship? Join Brian, Chris W, Leah and Ryan as they examine Kingdom Hearts II, the legendary Square/Disney crossover. Does this amalgamation of JRPG and childhood nostalgia manage to live up to it's historical significance? Listen in to see which of our panelists still willingly wields a keyblade. Support our Patreon for just $2 per month. Links in bio.

New podcast: Escape from Monkey Island “Pick up the moon? Are you nuts?” By the year 2000 the popularity of the traditional point and click adventure was waning. However, Lucasfilm felt there was enough left in the well for one last jaunt to hang with the pirates of the Caribbean. Leon, Ryan and Tony – along with contributors from the listenership – wrestle with the keyboard-based tank controls, moon-logic puzzles and Monkey Kombat in their attempts to Escape from Monkey Island. Available now for free in the usual podcast places. Links in bio.

New podcast: Dark Cloud (early access and extended) Dark Cloud remains a slightly odd beast. Chris Worthington, Brian Edwards and Chris O'Regan unpack it all here. Support Cane and Rinse for just $2 (or equivalent) per month to get every new podcast four weeks early. Links in bio.

New podcast: November's Monthly A podcast about a podcast that funds a podcast. Looking back at October. Discussed: Blood: The Last Vampire Demon Slayer Jujutsu Kaisen The Fire Hunter Presence The Long Walk Good Boy K-Foodie Meets J-Foodie IT: Welcome to Derry Ghost of Yotei Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy Deep Rock Galactic Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection $2 a month! Links in bio.

New podcast: Judgment (early access) Kamurochō is overflowing with yakuza. The police are swamped and the legal system is on its knees. Who can the city turn to in its hour of need but Brian, James, Leah and Michiel - the Cane and Rinse Detective Agency. Ryu Ga Gotoku studio spin-off from Yakuza again, this time it’s Judgment… or is it Judge Eyes? Available now from our $2 per month Patreon. Links in bio.

Our Syberia podcast Your perfect accompaniment to Syberia - Remastered - out now. “Automatons do not have bugs, Kate Walker. They simply display functional idiosyncracies.” In the aftermath of the golden age of graphic adventure games, the early 2000s offered plenty of ammunition for those who declared the genre to be dead. Microids was intent on changing the narrative when it released spiritual successor to cult-hit Amerzone, Syberia. Chris Worthington, James, Michiel and Tony ask themselves if it was successful. Available to listen for free from podcast providers, Spotify and our website. Links in bio.

New podcast: Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins Wario’s debut! That’s perhaps the most significant element of this 1992 handheld entry into the Mario canon, but there’s plenty more to talk about as well. Leon, Brian, Leah and Sean, along with oodles of nostalgic memories from our forum and Patreon communities, hop, skip and jump through this wacky and off-kilter but fully fledged platform adventure for the good old Game Boy. Available now for free from podcast places, Spotify and caneandrinse dot com. Links in bio.