Weirdest Day in My Life

So I'd been up all night finishing Metal Gear Solid. I went to school on no sleep. Went to swim. Took a monster energy drink. Went to work. Weirdest thing happened. Angelina Jolie and Brad "F'ing" Pitt walk in with their adopted Asian boy and buy freaking Jaws Unleashed. I'm not even going to try to explain or understand it.

No Foolies,
David

Related Article

This is kind of Hot.... I Think

So this picture ended up on Kotaku today and I wanted to spread the pic around. This a pic of someone who cos-played at Anime Expo 2007 as Midna from "The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess". The pic is awesome and kind of hot....




-Nick

Condemned 2: Bloodshot Review

Background: Survival horror is a genre that has seen very few innovations over the years. The original Resident Evil paved the way for countless other horror games with its fixed, cinematic camera, third person perspective, and limited ammunition. Since then, horror games have been taken into the first person perspective (FEAR) and reinvented the third person perspective (Resident Evil 4) but very few have really revolutionized the concept with any success. The original Condemned was released when the Xbox 360 hit store shelves, making it one of the first examples of the power a “next generation” console. Monolith did a respectable job of bringing something new to the horror genre by emphasizing first person melee fighting rather than gunplay. While the original game contained one of the scariest environments in game to date, it did have its problems including repetitive combat, lack of variety, shallow forensic tools and a strange, misguided story. I’m happy to say that Monolith has taken these complaints to heart with the development of their long awaited follow-up.

Story: (70 out of 100): The original Condemned placed you in the shoes of Ethan Thomas, a crime scene investigator that is framed for the murder of two police officers. The game was full of shocking moments and creepy environments as Ethan was forced to use his environment as a weapon against seemingly crazed homeless people. What was driving them mad? The game eventually contorted into a supernatural cult tale that left a lot of questions unanswered. The sequel picks up about 8 months after the original ended where we find that Ethan Thomas has left the bureau given in to the bottle. All of this seemingly happened as a result of the incredibly disturbing events of the original. The game leads you through a variety of dark, dank, disturbing environments and pits you against every form of societal filth imaginable. The story manages to answer a few unanswered questions from the original but still leaves a few new ones unanswered. While the presentation of the story is top notch and provides some excellent action sequences, the story ultimately falls into the “what the hell” category by the end. I won’t say that the story is bad but it is definitely not what you might expect. During the final minutes of the game, you will most likely be thinking that the final antagonist and even the final level of the game just don’t fit. Ultimately though the story satisfies and will definitely leave you wanting more.

Presentation (90 out of 100): The presentation is one of the biggest areas of improvements in Condemned 2. The original title was a good-looking game but still suffered from a variety of technical issues that were common among first generation Xbox 360 titles. Some of the animations were particularly odd and annoying, particularly the kick animation. Of course, many of these problems were simply the result of being one of the early next gen titles. Bloodshot has significantly improved on all of these issues. All of the environments are impressively detailed and full of things to interact with and use as weapons. The character models are infinitely more detailed and the character movements are a lot more believable this time around. Cutscenes are impressive and provide almost perfect introductions to each one of the games chapters. The environments are also much more diverse by offering unique environments, each with their own theme and feel. One level even seems to be directly influenced by Bioshock. The game offers players a unique, cinematic experience with improved, detailed visuals that live up to the standards set by some of today’s most beautiful games.

Gameplay: (85 out of 100): The original Condemned put a new spin on the classic first person formula by taking the emphasis off of gunplay and instead relying upon melee combat for a more visceral experience. Condemned 2 very much expands upon this idea and adds some welcome changes to the somewhat repetitive gameplay of the original. The first game allowed you to pull things off of the environment and use them as weapons, which was a cool idea but still, somewhat limited. After knocking the enemies to their knees, you were allowed to do one of four finishing moves. In the sequel, the environmental weapons are definitely more diverse. Just about anything that looks like a weapon can be used. For instance, you can pick up crowbars, pipes, saw blades, dolls, toilet seats, and even the butt of your own gun. Also, environmental kills have been added which allows you to slam enemies heads through TV’s, toilets, and glass windows (among other things). The actual melee combat has also been expanded by designating each trigger button as its respective arm meaning you can create different combos by pulling the triggers in different orders. The forensics investigations have also been improved in almost every way possible. Forget about the shallow, boring forensics of the original. This time around, Ethan must investigate crime scenes and then pick from a list of different scenarios to determine what occurred. At the end of each investigation, you are graded over how many you guessed right. This mechanic is surprisingly deep and one of the most intriguing aspects of the game. My only complaint with the gameplay would have to be the stronger emphasis on shooting near the end of the game. The lodge level makes more sense with weapons but after finishing that level, the emphasis should have returned to melee combat. It is also worth mentioning that when a group of enemies attack you at once, it is easy to be overwhelmed. When this happens, combat mechanics usually go right out the window. Overall, the gameplay is a drastic improvement over the original with only a few small flooks. Trust me when I say this, Condemned 2 Bloodshot is some of the most entertaining gameplay in the survival horror genre.

Sound: (95 out of 100) Monolith did a wonderful job of creating some great atmosphere in this game and a lot of that can be credited to the sound. There is not much music in the game, which makes the ambient noise and enemy movement all the more noticeable. The sound effects implemented into the combat system are brutal and fitting. The voice acting is fairly impressive and makes the cinematics a real joy to watch. Nothing truly revolutionary in the sound department but an overall impressive attention to detail. Did I mention the games features unbelievable bucket sound effects?

Content: (75 out of 100) Most survival horror suffer in the content department because they usually lack any multiplayer components and tend to feature a short single player mode. Condemned 2 actually clocked in at approximately 10 hours, a relatively long time for the genre. Monolith also added some multiplayer features including Bum Rush, which pits two agents against a group of player controller bums that re-spawn. One of the more interesting modes would be the “crime scene”, a mode in which bums race to hide a box with a severed head in it while agents try to find the box and identify the head using their forensic tools. The downfall is that even if the agents kill off all of the opposing team before finding the head, the agents remain on the map until they find the head. This is unnecessary and essentially hurts this original mode. The online multiplayer is a nice feature to the game but ultimately feels tacked on. Deeper multiplayer and maybe even co-op gameplay would have made nice additions to an overall intriguing package.

Closing Thoughts and Recommendation- Condemned 2: Bloodshot is great game. It takes a good idea that was born at the beginning of the next generation life cycle and improves on it in almost every way possible. The game is not perfect of course but is enough of an improvement over the original to warrant a purchase.


Pros: (+)
-High production values
-Great atmosphere
-Deep, melee combat mechanics
-Surprisingly deep and fun forensics investigations
-Brutal environmental finishers
-The Bear

Cons: (-)
- Good story that almost falls apart by the end
- Combat becomes frustrating with multiple enemies
- Could have been a few hours longer (minor complaint)
- Potentially broken multiplayer

0-10 = F
11-20 = D
21-30 = C
31-40 = B
41-50 = A

Final Letter Grade: 83 Out of 100 (B-)

Do Work Son!

So around 1 am this morning I pop in Metal Gear Solid for what was supposed to be a quick play and refresher after not playing it for a few weeks. Fast forward 5 hours later I'm getting ready for school after not sleeping and finishing the game. Please don't misunderstand me, I didn't finish it because it was that good. The game is way too old to play now and the frustrations are almost too much to bear. Thank goodness for the viewers who stuck it out all night. If not for them I wouldn't have finished the last driving portion of the game. There were some pretty good memories for me so thanks to...

keyweez360, raidenMGS, pyrob, yagabaga, harble, bronation, mikey2d, jjray, yokoshima, and kickboxsinner. And I think statix, who harassed me all night but was there the whole time I think? Sorry if I left anyone off, you know how these things go.

Also, I'd like to announce our first official marathon. The 4playerpodcast hasn't officially done a marathon yet, but we've always wanted to. So here's the details

My Aunt who is visiting from Naha, Okinawa will be playing through Pikmin for the GameCube. She apparently is pretty good at it as she has beaten it in 15 days (in game time) with all 30 parts. So she'll be coming over on Friday to play though the entire game which will probably take 4-6 hours. I'll be sitting in on chat while she plays so you guys can ask questions and such. I've not seen her play before so I'm not at all sure what to expect but I am intrigued to see her skills as Pikmin is a fairly fast paced game with lots of micromanagement. So we'll see you some time early Friday evening, I'll post the official time on the JTV scheduler sometime in the next few days.

A reminder, both the shows have been posted for download.
#056 - Nick's G.D. Show
#003 - The Top 5 Handheld Games

There's a new poll up to the left so please vote because we really want your opinion.

Finally, Travis, proof-read you work. My goodness, I know you're in high school but seriously....

"In a nutshell, someone stole about 16500 dollars ingame, which completley follow all the game rules and everything."

Man, that's bad.

I'm now off to school,
David

Eve

So i have heard of Eve before, especially around that time that huge heist occurred. eve.klaki.net/heist/. In a nutshell, someone stole about 16500 dollars ingame, which completley follow all the game rules and everything.

To me that is pretty bad ass. But i knew about that and still never picked it up. Well that has changed my friends.

As I looked upon my friendly world of warcraft website, deciding if i should download the game or go out and buy it, a thought came to me. What if i just play something new instead of wasting hundreds and hundreds of hours on a game i have already wasted hundreds and hundreds of hours on. So i began the quest for the most interesting looking MMORPG on the net.

Well i stumbled across eve, again.

And let me tell you what drew me, and this is a direct quote.

"One could compare this to the difference between a playground, such as EVE, and a theme park, which would be the traditional MMOG. In a playground you have access to different kinds of toys and rides, and you are allowed to use your own imagination to figure out how to create games you enjoy. In a theme park all the rides have been created for you and are either good or bad by design. The playground clearly offers more freedom but it requires you to think and be an active participant, while the theme park has taken those responsibilities away from you and you can just go with the flow. As an interesting side-note, "theme park" style MMORPGs commonly develop lines, just like real world theme parks, as players wait for monster spawns, rare items, or quest requirements."

To me this is so true.
This game enables you to live in a seamless space environment with 500-1000 different Solar systems to explore. No load times except when you dock your ship.
There are always about 10,000 people on at all times, only because the amount of servers in this game is next to zero, literally.
The opportunities in this game are next to endless, enabling you to become a private miner, a freelancer, an inventor, industrialist, small trader, join corporations which have many different uses, hold shares, traffic contraband, become a pirate, and my favorite (and my aim) becoming a bounty hunter.

I am Spike Bitch.
Well my name is actually Ryane Sebi
But whatever, i am a cowboy.
See you in space

First Steps Towards Greatness + No Respect

Ah yes, for those who were here to witness ones triumph over the first stage of Last Hope, remember today, err yesterday, March 29th. For that was the day when one man, made a difference. Against incredible odds, he persevered. No one said it was possible. But when darkness covered the land and stole hope from the world, he reached in the belly of the beast and ripped out the last shining piece of emotion that the world would ever need. He had begun his transformation....from mortal man.....to Last Hope. Forever would that name be connected to his innermost soul.

To witness the epic-ness, click here

Watch live video from 4PlayerPodcast on Justin.tv


No Respect?
Ok, Brad, so yes the ladies of Soul Calibur IV look amazing. My only question is....Where in this post can I find Talim? What about us, who like our women a little bit younger and less bouncier? That, my friend, is a complete lack of respect. And as a respectable journalist, I expect you to cover all new stories equally and professionally. Your lack of attention to detail has made me lose confidence in your abilities. Please do not make a mistake like this again.

**^____^**

This is why I am excited about Soul Calibur IV

The ladies of Soul Calibur IV

Untapped PSP Potential

The PSP has shown that it can play handle some really great games and run side by side with its big brother, the PS2.  It has also made for a respectable movie player, allowing people to view high quality movies on the go.  Hell, some people even use it as an mp3 player!  But it has also shown that it can do other things and this is what I would like to mention today.  A couple months before the Silent Hill movie hit theaters, I was in desperate need of a Silent Hill to play through.  All I could think about was that damn franchise.  Unfortunately, I had already played through all of the games in the series and there were no new entries on the horizon except for Origins which had not even been announced stateside yet.  After some searching, I stumbled across something that I didn't even know existed, a PSP digital comic book called "The Silent Hill Experience".  

I immediately placed an order for it. When I received the UMD, I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of content. Aside from the comic book material, there was a few developer interviews and interviews with the director of the film, game trailers, music tracks, and so on. But the comic book aspect was what really drew me in. The comic book may not have been the most amazing story or anything but it did expand on the games universe and satisfy my craving for more Silent Hill. What was so cool about it was the way in which it was presented. Basically, the art slowly moves across the screen and provides subtle transitions between storyboards which makes a much more immersive experience than just reading a regular comic book.   The immersion didn't stop there because while you read the book, beautiful music from Silent Hill composer, Akira Yamaoka, plays in the background.   Unfortunately, aside from the Silent Hill Experience, I have only seen one other video-game related interactive comic book which was based on Metal Gear Solid.  I really wish that more developers would exploit this as a tool of increasing interest for their games or as a means of expanding their stories.  Being able to see different artists interpretations of a franchise is really cool and makes every comic interesting.  Imagine if series like Devil May Cry, Resident Evil, God of War, or even Bioshock got the same treatment.  How cool would that be if a new interactive comic book was released every few months!? This my friends, is one of the PSP coolest features (in my opinion) and is sadly overlooked by many developers and publishers.   

--Nick

Everyone's a Rat Analysis

So I really have not been too hyped about GTA4 for some reason.  I have some great memories with their PS2 outings and am surprised to say that the hype machine has taken so long to kick in.  Technically thats a good thing because being excited about a game for a year before it comes out sucks.  Luckily, I just finished watching the latest trailer entitled "Everyone's a Rat" and let me tell you, the hype has officially landed.  The game looks incredible and I can't wait to see what Rockstar has up their sleeve for us this time.  Gamevideos recently posted this video in which a couple of their EGM editors analyzed the trailer, clip by clip.  It makes for a really interesting listening and also points out things that you might otherwise miss if you weren't paying enough attention.  Check it out:

-Nick

Nick's Laundry List Update Week 4

So I have been really really busy with school but I finally finished my ridiculous slew of tests and such and have some time to play some games and work on the site.  So for starters, here is where I stand with my laundy list which includes what I am playing now and the games that I intend to finish this year.  In fact, here is the play by play of what I intend to finish this year.  Of course, these will be sprinkled in between 2008's big releases so expect this to take a while.

Dark Sector - 50% complete 

FF: Crisis Core - 0% ( about to start tonight)

LOST: Via Domus - 50% Complete

Laundry List- 

1.)  Jade Empire (xbox)

2.)  Dark Cloud 2 (PS2- sorry Brad, I realized that I lied, i got to the final boss and never finished but I intend to start from scratch and finish the game this year)

3.)  The Suffering 2: Ties that Bind (PS2)

4.)  Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Just need to finish the last few missions)

5.)  Dragon Quest VIII

6.)  Call of Cthulu (xbox)

7.)  Eternal Sonata (Xbox 360)

8.)  Tomb Raider Legend (xbox 360)

9.)  Zone of Enders 2 (Ps2)

10.)  Fatal Frame 3 (PS2)

Wow......  I have a lot of work to do.

-Nick

Brad's Laundry List Updated (Conjuring up good luck edition!)

Making some progress here.



Silent Hill 2 - 100%
Yay! I'm brave. Some sort of write-up coming soon.

Oblivion - 20-50%?
Depends on how much I want to do I guess. Actually making some real progress in the game nowadays. Finished both the Mages Guild and Dark Brotherhood quest lines. I even got my Summon Bear spell. I might actually start working on some Gates.

Crisis Core - 5%? Actually 0%
Started last night and was having a lot of fun. The game got too hard on "hard" mode so I will now be restarting on "normal" now.

I will start to actually work on some more of my older games for next week. Hopefully my next list will be more eventful.


Brad

Lost Hope or Last Hope?

Last nights Wayback Wedneday started late but went off somewhat smoothly. After playing through Bust-A-Groove, Parappa tha Rappa, and Project Justice (Rival Schools 2). I searched through my Dreamcast collection and popped in Last Hope, a region free Japanese release. It's completely in English and can be played by just popping it into your system, no bootdisc or anything. When I first played it, I quickly dismissed it. There a problems with the games difficulty spawning from movement and control issues. Plus like all 2-d Shoot-em Ups theres the problem of having tons of crap flying at you at once and not being able to visually process everything. Another problem I had with the game is that there's just too much animation going on screen. Things move and visually impair you from seeing things that are inches from destroying you. I put the game on my shelf with no real determination to finish it.

For some reason, this time around I really got into the game. Maybe it was all the viewers "cheering" me on, but this time I got over the problems and focused on learning the pattern and subtleness of the game. It's still by no means a great game, but I suddenly have this urge to find out for myself. Look for me to fight to the end and discover the true meaning of hope.
Check out the official game page, at least just to listen to the music sampler that plays. It's easily the best part of the game and I haven't even heard it in game yet.

Thanks,
David

http://www.lasthope-dc.com/

Justin.tv problems tonight!

We have a lot planned for tonight on Jtv. The site is having some issues right now so unfortunately we might have to cut some stuff short depending on when it gets back up. It's 7:41 now and it just went down 10 mins ago. I will keep trying the site, so check back in because we will still be broadcasting tonight.

Brad

Very, Very Good News

I will be getting a computer tomorrow, allowing me to do certain things.
one of which will be to broadcast myself live playing various games and hopefully opening up the opportunity to begin my little project I would like to call "Warp Cast". This, in a nutshell, is going to be wayback Wednesday everyday. But along with playing games from past generations, i will also be writing reviews for these games. Hopefully the fan base will be big enough to support my little project.

Also, I will now be able to play world of warcraft...
Good bye life, Hello Syvyn on Spinebreaker server. I look forward to seeing through your head once again.

-Travis

New Resident Evil 5 Footage

This week, Japanese citizens were treated to the new issue of Famitsu which happened to include a Capcom 25th Anniversary DVD that included a video interview with Jun Takeuchi, the producer of the upcoming Resident Evil 5.  (Congrats Capcom)  While I have no idea what he is saying in this interview, ill venture a guess that it has something to do with the unique emphasis on blinding sun and shadow effects that will appear in the game.  The highlight of the video however is that it includes some (off screen) footage of someone playing the game!  The very fact that there is a playable version somewhere at Capcom makes me wanna piss myself with excitement (don't worry... I didn't).  Ill shut up now so you can watch:

-Nick

Initial "Dark Sector" Impressions

     I went ahead and completed the first 3 sections of the game which basically is comprised of a short introduction and then 2 chapters.  I will start by saying that this is a game that clearly should have come out sooner.  For those who don't know, Dark Sector was actually the first "next gen" title to be announced back in the day when the Xbox360 and PS3 were just the hopes and dreams of countless gamers.  When it first began, it started as a science fiction, 3rd person, action-adventure title.  The game was eventually scrapped and basically started from scratch with a new setting.  Now, instead of dark, metallic, claustrophic environments, we get Lasria, a fake, European country that is plagued by a horrible virus that  turns living beings into vicious, metallic, killing machines.  Digital Extremes basically opted for a more realistic environment that resembles games such as Gears of War and Half Life 2.  This is definitely a welcome change in my opinion.  But how does it play?  I can't help but feel that the game would have been a tremendous success if it had come out a lot earlier in the "next-gen" life cycle because the gameplay elements are very much "old news".  That isn't necessarily a bad thing but with games like Gears of War, Mass Effect, and Uncharted revolutionizing the way we play third person, shoot em ups, Dark Sector really doesn't have much to bring to the table.  Don't get me wrong, the gameplay that is there is solid but it has definitely been done before.  So lets get started.

     The game opens with a brief, black and white introduction that introduces the main protagonist, Hayden as he begins a mission to infiltrate Lasria.  His orders are to stop a man named Mezner from getting his hands on contaminated material which would ultimately plague the entire world.  It definitely doesn't tell you much upon starting which is probably to suggest a deeper story that will come to the surface later in the game.  After getting the hang of the controls, the games lets you shoot some stuff which looks pretty but actually left me wanted more.  Im not sure why but some games just do something that creates a greater sense of satisfaction when you shoot enemies (I know, it's sick).  On another note, having seen several enemies stay in one spot while I shoot them repeatedly in the torso, I can say that the enemy AI is not the greatest.  With such a long development cycle, it definitely could have been better.  Of course, shooting is not the focus of the combat system as we all know.  At the end of the introduction, Hayden "acquires" a Glaive that he can throw much like a boomerang in order to cause "massive damage" or to acquire out of reach objects and such.  So far, it seems like a cool idea but I really hope that there will be upgrades in the future to make it a bit more satisfying.  Graphically, the game looks ok but there are times when the game looks a little "behind the times".  Surprisingly, this game is not running on the Unreal Engine 3 but in fact runs on DE's own Evolution Engine and still manages to maintain that same graphical "high bar".  At times, there are some annoying blurring effects and the fact that you can't interact with everything on screen by either hitting it or shooting it is kind of disappointing.  The gameplay itself is fun but nothing revolutionary and I am scared of seeing whether the story maintains momentum or ultimately crashes and burns.  But so far, it is a game that is definitely worth a play.  Im sure the guys at Digital Extremes are finally happy to be finished with this ridiculous long development process and will be happy to move onto bigger and better things.   Ill post a full review upon completion of the game.   

-Nick

Ew Pink Eye

Thats what i get for screaming non-stop. So in my down time i will be playing the following.

finish Condemned 2. I am actually just past the bear, which means that the whole initial draw of the game for me has diminished.
Wind Waker. I shall start the second dungeon if you don't include the Forsaken Fortress. I am kind of stuck... and its embarrassing. don't know how to get on top of the damn Deku Tree.
Metroid Prime, Beat the first boss, on with the rest.

And
I think i will be buying Dark Sector within the next day or so. I wasn't too excited about it or anything... but you know me... i buy everything.

One more thing.
Brad has given me the extreme urge to start playing Oblivion... so i shall.


no more halo.
-travis

Excitement

So 2008 is going to be a really big year for us.  We have a lot of ideas and events to plan and I can't wait to tell you about them.  It's going to be great.  Anyways, I just picked up Dark Sector (PS3) and Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core today and can't wait to pop one of them in.  It has been weeks since I have started playing something new and exciting (not counting LOST b/c that was new and kind of boring).  I will be playing Dark Sector a little bit later today and posting my initial impressions.  Also, Brad will be broadcasting some Crisis Core today so check that out if you are ready for some Nostalgia.  Anyways, I can't wait for summer because it is going to be grand.  Check back later guyz!

-Nick

Wednesday on JTV

Here is a list of some of the events to look forward to tomorrow on our live feed. Just click "Watch us Live" over on the right.

7:30pm - Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core (PSP)
The long awaited prequel to the Square classic has finally hit our shores and I will be broadcasting the game live for the first time live on the feed. Should be an exciting nostalgiafest for me and the other FFVII kids out there.

9:00pm - Silent Hill 2 (PS2)
I am finally nearing the end of my first ever Silent Hill game! I just entered a very creepy hotel reminicent of "The Shinning". Come watch me take on the conclusion to this terrifying game.

10:30 pm - Wayback Wednesday!
Our first ever live broadcast of Wayback Wednesday. Come watch us ruin childhood memories with awkwardly bad graphics and crappy controls. To be honest, David has some really cool games in store for us tomorrow.


Don't miss it

Brad

Welcome to BR301 - Introductory Bear Rolling

There's been a lot of bear jokes that go on in chat, on the site, and in the podcasts. For those new to the site or those who don't understand what we're referring to here's a little refresher course to get you caught up to speed. All video are played by Bradford Whitley who has a PhD. in Bear PHYZACS.

The beginning...This is where it all began, a simple day of playing Oblivion coupled with a incidental bear encounter sparked the term Bearrell Roll.



Then came the Condemn 2 clip where Nick and Brad faced off against...well....a bear.


All that fist fighting inspired Brad do some of his own and he took it to the mean streets of Oblivion.



In the mother of all bearrel roll videos, Brad experiments with Invisibility and Paralysis.


There have been a few more clips since then including a double bearrel roll, but this was just an introductory course, so we'll have to save that for next time.

Thanks for stopping by,
David

Also look for TB301 - Introduction to teabagging

Some art contributed by the community

Brad

Halo

Ew, I don't think i am going to play that today or ever again. Thinking back on the situation, the affects of peer pressure led me to make some bad decisions. So today I think I will play another game..... What i am not sure of yet. Here is the list.

1. Morrowind
2. Thief: Deadly Shadows
3. Burnout 3 or paradise
4. Condemned Multiplayer (Expect Lag)
5. Portal.

send me an email at Visimicus@Gmail.com or put a comment on this post.

See yall at around 4 pm central time.

Send in Your Video Game Related Questions

Hey guys, we have begun to include viewer Q & A sessions at the end of each weekly podcast and we need your help. If you have a video game related question or discussion topic, leave it as a comment on this post or send it directly to my xbox live gamertag (NickH701). Remember, if you send it to xbox live, the message can be text or voice but be sure to speak clearly if you choose to leave a voice message. We will be answering these questions live on the show. Thanks!

-Nick

Welcome Back Travis

So if you haven't noticed we're a 4player podcast and for the longest time we've been a little shorthanded. At long last we've gotten our 4th back. So it's official that Touchdown Travis is back and to celebrate his return he decided to come over a play a little Halo yesterday afternoon. Here's a clip from the festivities.

Nobunaga's Quest

Welcome to the Madness,
David

Independent Games Spotlight #4

I spent about 20 minutes with this game before I finally figured out what the hell I was supposed to be doing. I knew the game got quite a bit of praise in various independent game forums including IGF. It wasn't until I figured out the unique mechanic that I began to understand the hype.

Clean Asia

At first this game looks like a standard Shoot-em-up with stylized vector graphics; but the twist is you bash into enemies with your "ship" and use the debris as ammo by flinging it back at other enemies. Being successful at this game is effectively maintaining a constant flow of ammo by using debris to kill ships and using that debris to kill even more. Maintaining this flow of ammo is important because if you run out of debris to shoot and none is floating around, you have to get it the hard way... by dangerously basting into enemies. You have the option to either throw all your debris at once for a powerful blast or shoot it in a steady stream. The controls can be confusing so be sure to check how to play it before you begin.

I must warn you all though. This game is very hard. I haven't been able to get past more than a few waves of enemies in each stage. But the premise is awesome and the music is pretty killer. Click here to download the game or check out some of his other projects. The developer, "Cactus", creates games daily, but this is considered one of his best. It was a finalist at IGF and won several SHMUP community awards. Might as well try out some of his other projects while on his site.

Have fun,

Brad

The Bourne Sessions Tomorrow Night

So tomorrow night, Sierra and Yahoo will be teaming up to present the original soundtrack for the upcoming Bourne Conspiracy game that I am obviously very excited about. The unveiling will be at the "Winter Music Conference 2008" in Miami Florida and can be viewed at yahoo.com or The Bourne Sessions. The music in the movies did an excellent job of keeping the intensity at an all time high so I have pretty high hopes for the games score. The soundtrack will be produced and performed live by renowned trance DJ Paul Oakenfold. If you have any interest in it, be sure to check it out.

Later,
Nick

MultiPlayer

Condemned 2...
When it comes to single player, it is still pretty much the same ol' same ol' which I am fine with. some changes I don't agree with, but whatever.
The multiplayer though.... Bleh

I thought it was going to be fun to be a part of the "influenced" and take out the SCU officers that are trying to take me and my brethren down....
Well unfortunately for us, the SCU officers are superhuman.
In the sense that they can take us out in one hit. Gun or no gun.
I am not one to bitch about something being cheap.... but come on.
It is nice we have infinite lives while the cops only have one...
but its that one you have to work on.


I am going to pick up Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 tomorrow, i'll be playing around 6-7 PM Central time. Name is Nobunagas Quest. Give me a ring.

Send in your Game and Anime recommendations

Use the comments here to leave what you want to see us play or watch. I'll update this later probably add a poll. You don't need to register to add a comment.

Thanks


Brad

Recording: Podcast #055

Just a reminder, we'll be recording show number 55 tonight for anyone who wants to tune in live. There's still time to send in questions to Nick via Xbox live if you want them answered on the show. After the show we'll also be recording the new Top Five Desert Island Games.

If you can't make it live, don't forget you can also download the show in mp3 format via mypodcast.com or the link to the right.


See you tonight,
David

Brad's Laundry List (The Everymen edition)

Hope this clears things up.

Anyways, I've been failing massively at my own concept and goal here.... well sort of. About a month ago I posted this list with the games and percentages. I've barely touched anything on that list, but to be fair, I have been playing (and finishing) some new games.

Fatal Frame - 33 to 50%?
Heavenly Sword - 100%
Uncharted: Drakes Fortune - 100%
Patapon - 15%?


That's the new stuff.

As far as my older list goes?? Hrm. Well I have been playing a hell of a lot more of Oblivion. So I guess we can add 1% to that goal. *sigh*


I'll keep you updated,

Brad

Tying up some loose ends

So, I'm surprised to see Nick's review of Devil May Cry 4. From what I played it was a solid game. There were things I liked but there were some I didn't. But is must have been a life altering experience for him to give it the score he did. I didn't realize a 96 was possible on a 50 point scale. Nice one Nick. Love ya. See you Saturday for the next show. I'm hosting by the way. And I posted episode 51.


Do Work Son,
David

--Devil May Cry 4 Review--

Background: Devil May Cry is a franchise with a rocky history and a fiercely loyal fan following. Its first iteration on the PS2 was easily one of the best games on the console while its sequel left much to be desired. Luckily, the series returned to form with the release of Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening, a prequel to the first game that depicted the main hero, Dante, during his younger days. It has been several years since DMC3 and it is finally time for Dante to make his return to glory on a next generation console but the question is, does it live up to the incredibly high standards set by the original.

Story: (80 out of 100):  For those who don’t know, Devil May Cry tells the story of a half demon, half human devil hunter who just happens to be the son of a legendary demon, Sparda. Sparda protected humans and eventually bore half-breed children, Dante and Virgil. In a surprising, yet welcomed move, Capcom gave Dante, the franchises main hero, a backseat to newcomer, Nero. The story opens in Fortuna, a small island community that worships Sparda as a god and is protected by a clan of knights known as the “Order of the Sword”. When a young, cocky knight named Nero witnesses the island’s leader ruthlessly murdered by an unknown assailant (Dante), he steps up to protect his people and the woman he loves. After an impressive demonstration of demonic power, you realize that Nero has something to hide. With his right arm in a sling, he hides the fact that his arm is possessed by a demon, a fact that would certainly put him at odds with the people he strives to protect. The first half of the game basically has you playing as Nero as he searches for the reasons for Dante’s appearance and uncovering the shady truth behind the “Order of the Sword”. As you reach the half-way point, you begin to see that things aren’t as they seem and that Dante may not be the threat that Nero thought him to be. This narrative plays out in classic Devil May Cry style with numbered missions that are usually sprinkled with stylish cut scenes and larger than life boss fights. While the story does remain interesting, many of the events are just out of this world and even step outside the realm of what is expected from a serious action game. Also, the ending doesn’t wrap up all the loose ends and may leave you scratching your head. All in all, the story is incredibly entertaining to watch unfold even though it tends to not take itself as seriously as you might expect.

Presentation: (95 out of 100):  Devil May Cry has always been a series that prides itself on gorgeous visuals and atmosphere. This new entry is no different. Almost everything in this game is beautiful. The opening cut scene alone demonstrates just how accurate and detailed the character models are and shows off an impressive amount of detail on textures and animations. When you first see the scarecrow enemy, you will know exactly what I mean. The outdoor environments are almost perfect and provide a brilliant contrast with the dreary environments found throughout most of the indoor areas. As we all know, a pretty environment is only as good as the characters and objects that interact inside it. Luckily, one of the most impressive aspects of this game’s visuals is in the boss characters. Every boss is oozing with detail and ominous presence. This detail is just as high in every character you interact with in the game, most notably Lady…. My only complaint would have to be with the outdoor lighting effects that are often jaggy and annoying, but this is not enough to detract from the overall quality of the visuals. To sum it up, this game is stunning.

Gameplay: (100 out of 100)  Some games can be explained by simply watching somebody play, but Devil May Cry is one of the few games out there that really requires you to actually get your hands on a controller and play. Simply watching somebody play won’t work. It would be impossible to understand the complexity of the combat system by simply watching someone play or even reading this review. When the controller is in your hand, you actually get a sense of just how much work goes into every attack. The transition from firing a weapon with the square button to attacking with short-range weapons with triangle is so smooth that you realize how shameful it is that other games don’t implement this kind of control scheme. Just when you think you can’t be anymore of a badass, you press the O button and watch as Nero unleashes his devil bringer on some poor sap. The X button handles the jumping which can sometimes get annoying when the camera angle isn’t in the best position but it is still relatively easy to avoid. These combat elements come together for some crazy yet beautiful boss battles. At one point in the game, you gain control of series star, Dante. At this point, you may be so use to playing as Nero that you would dread switching this late in the game but the controls are almost identical when controlling Dante. The main difference however is that Dante can switch between 4 styles using the d-pad. These styles are the same as they were in DMC 3 (gunslinger, trickster, royal guard, and sword master) and control basically the same as Nero’s style. Having access to these styles obviously opens up a slue of different attacks and combinations that you have to mess with yourself to understand. Finally, the weapons that are unlocked when playing as Dante are brilliant, especially Pandora which is a weapon so original and fun that I refuse to spoil it in this review. All of these control schemes and fighting styles come together to make an incredibly addicting combat system that probably won’t be bested for years.

Sound: (95 out of 100) Not much to say here except that the sound really does stand up to the standards of the series and playstation 3 in general. Voice acting is pretty good for the most part but can be a little cheesy at some points.  The music featured in the game, particularly the battle music, sounds like a hybrid between hard japanese and american metal which works out most of the time.  I enjoyed this style of music because it is similar what I listen to normally but it definitely isn't for everyone.  The music does get a bit repetitive because it is the same in almost every fight so some additional music would have been a welcomed addition.  Overall though, nothing to really complain about in the music department.

Content: (100 out of 100) DMC 4 is a game that is built to last. Advancing the story unlocks a library that gives detailed descriptions of all the enemies, bosses, items, weapons, and characters. Also, a movie theatre will be unlocked which allows you to watch previously viewed cutscenes which is nice when the cutscenes are as good as these. Players are offered a choice between 2 difficulty settings from the get go which offer a fair amount of difficulty throughout. Upon completion, several more difficulties are unlocked. These additional modes include “Dante Must Die”, a difficulty in which the character will die after a single hit. In addition to increased difficulty settings, players will also unlock “Bloody Palace”, a mode that is tier based and allows players to move forward only after defeating increasingly difficult enemies. This mode is timed but defeating enemies and stages adds precious seconds to your timer, allowing you to move forward. Sprinkled throughout the primary missions, players will stumble across secret missions that usually offer a prize for completing a challenging task in a short amount of time. Overall, the game is packed with content that will keep any gamer busy for weeks on end.

Closing Thoughts and Recommendation:  I have enjoyed every Devil May Cry entry (yes even the second one) and was very impressed with its first next gen outing. The new character was a nice change of pace and the combat system works better than ever. I highly recommend this game to anyone who enjoys a good action adventure game with a decent amount of challenge.

Pros: (+)
-Ability to play as 2 characters (Dante and Nero)
-Beautiful environments and character models throughout
-Incredibly fast, intense combat mechanics
-Intriguing characters and story

Cons: (-)
- Too much backtracking
- Not enough time playing as Dante
- Not enough Lady

0-59      = F
60-69   = D
70-79    = C
80-89   = B
90-100 = A

Final Letter Grade: 94 Out of 100 (A-)

-Nick

New JTV Channel

Recently we started a new channel 4playerJAPANcast where we show Anime, Japanese movies, and music videos.

Brad went around to do some advertising and try to plug the new channel. So here's what happened when Brad asked to plug the site with our friend Richeymaniac over at Martini Gaming.

[Jesus Loves You]

Richey is also part of the #videogames Podcast, but don't forget about the #1 video game podcast on JTV 4playerPodcast. *^_____^*

We love ya Richey,
David

New Podcasts Finally Up

Hey guys, you can finally find the MP3 formatted podcasts in the archive. We managed to get Episode 53, 54 and our 1st Top 5 episode up. So go ahead and go download crazy! Don't forget you can subscribe to us on itunes by clicking "subscribe" on the left menu in the archive. If you catch us on itunes and enjoy the show, please feel free to leave us a review. Also, please send your video game questions or discussion topics to my xbox live gamertag (NickH701) or leave a comment on this post! We will answer them live on the show. We appreciate everyone who has been watching and listening! See ya next week with episode 55.

-Nick

Ded

ded

Back in the Swing of Things

So Spring Break is over, David is back in town, and "4 Player Podcast" can get back to normal. The past week has been a blast. We completed our Condemned 2: Bloodshot run through and got 2 more podcasts under our belt. The next month or so should be hell for me but the big pay off will come in the form of Grand Theft Auto 4 on April 29th. Perhaps David can get the 3 missing podcast Mp3's fixed so we can post them too. I should have my Devil May Cry 4 review up sometime in the next 48 hours and will hopefully get my Condemned 2 Review knocked out by Sunday. Thanks a lot for everyone who stuck around and interacted with us. Stay tuned because the next few months will be big for games... atleast for me.

Peace!
Nick

P.S.- If you want to hear us discuss a Video Game related topic, send it to my xbox live gamertag (NickH701) or leave a comment in this post. We will be answering questions every week on the podcast!

Why you should be watching us live on JTV.

Here are some moments we had over the past few weeks.
















Just click "Watch us Live" on the right. Come chat with us as we play.


Brad

I am still alive

I have this week and then i am done with my some what serious school year. that means that i will be able to get on the show and i will be able to do play throughs.
I am really sorry that i have missed so many shows and play throughs, it will be changing soon.
just stick with me a little while.

Long live the Meta Knight!!

Brad's Thurstuff. >_>

- I was excited to hear that a new Disgaea game was coming to the DS. Handhelds are a great place to play strategy/rpgs. My excitement died when I learned this game was a port of the PS2 original. I mean what the fuck??? Not only has this game been out for like 4 years, but they have had two sequels since then. Oh and this game was already ported to the PSP. The true comedy here is that they are porting a PS2 game to the DS.... a PS2 game. At the same time NIS is defending Disgaea 3 (on the PS3) from the onslaught of accusations that it looks like its PS2 predecessors. So now we have PS3 games that looks like Nintendo DS games? Am I adding this up right? What the hell NIS?


- Valkyrie Profile is getting an original title for the Nintendo DS. This is great news. To be honest I have never played much of the series, but I own the PSP port of the original and only played a little so far. Very unique from what I have seen so far. I also heard the sequel is quite good as well. It's nice to see Square Enix really spreading out its IP nowadays. I have started to regain a little bit of faith in them. Now where the hell is Vagrant Story 2 for the PS3?


- This is just about the coolest looking remake ever. I can't wait to play.



- Last month the PS2 sold over 350k. Errr.... why? I have this weird feeling you will still be able to buy PS2s when next-next-gen is on store shelves. Why are people still buying this console???


- The Path... some odd looking independent developed horror adventure game in progress. For some reason I find this trailer very eerie, and the shit at the very end just creeps me out.



- Some random things I want: Yakuza 1 and 2 in Japanese. A Fire Emblem DS game that doesn't look like shit.... and that's not a port. Fallout 3 this year. To stop sucking on my Videogame Clean-up.


Brad

Q & A With 4 Player Podcast

So in one of our upcoming podcasts, we would like to try something new. We encourage anyone who listens to our show or watches our broadcasts to send us a question via xbox live in either voice message or text format. We will screen these questions and then answer the legitimate questions live on our show. Keep in mind, these questions must be Video Game related. If you have a topic you think merits a discussion or are just wondering about our opinion concerning a particular topic, send you question to Nickh701 on xbox live. We hope to have enough questions to answer in time for our next show so hurry up and get these in. We would encourage voice messages but please make sure you are concise and clear when you speak so that the listeners can hear the question. Thanks again and I can't wait to hear your feedback!

-Nick

Play Condemned with 4 Player Podcast!

So tomorrow night is our second episode of our Condemned 2 play through and we have decided to use some of that time to try out the multiplayer features of the game. So if you have been watching and you happen to own the game, send an xbox live friend invitation to me @ Nickh701. We will be trying out the different features and would love to have anyone who listens to our show interact with us. This episode starts broadcasting at 10:00 PM on 3/13/2008 so hurry up and get those friend invites sent in!

-Nick

Hello From The Future

It's 3:18AM Thursday in China. I just finished listening to show number #53. I guess I'll start off first by chiming in on what I've been playing.

I started off my trip by trying to power through some Patapon. I've been stuck, busy, and kind of frustrated so I put it down that week after I got it. I have to say I'm pretty disappointed in the title. I'm finding the missions confusing and the rhythm mechanic quite tedious. Plus those Patapon sounds are just freaking annoying. Playing a music game should make you laugh not cringe, I'll go more into detail the next show I'm back for.

So I put my newly purchased PSP down this week to play another game that I'd been anticipating since last year. Professor Layton and the Curious Village I'm sad to say has also been quite a disappointment. The story seems interesting enough. From starting at an inheritance case and then moving on to the more trivial cat gone missing, it has now moved on towards a murder mystery and kidnapping case. I have no problems with story or how it's presented, but the way the puzzles are incorporated into the gameplay is absolutely horrendous. There is paper-thin relevance between what is going on in the Layton world with that which is going on in the puzzle. On top of that, every corner you turn there's another person who wants to present you with yet another puzzle. What's worse is that it's never much more than "Hey, I have this puzzle, I bet you can't solve it." The puzzles themselves aren't particularly hard either. Some of the ones I'm having problems I'm having trouble with I could just easily pull out a piece of paper, do some basic algebra and come up with the answer. But to each of these there's a trick which will allow you to bypass all this so I refuse to resort to the paper and pencil method. This makes me feel like I'm in SAT class again try to learn the tricks to figure out the problems instead of wasting valuable time calculating out 'n' to the 32nd power to see if the answer will turn out odd or even. Sure I could use the hint system and pay the coins for help, but isn't that just admitting defeat. Plus didn't I pay good money for the DS cartridge. In a game like this, once you figure out the solution, that's it. Replay value goes to absolute zero.

So what have I been playing to pass the time in this foreign land that isn't Japan. I've gone back to playing Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations. It's like a love and hate relationship with this game. I love to hate it and then I hate to love it. It's like the love interest you keep going back to even when it hurts you to do so. So here I am, back at it again. I'm hating the flaws in the gameplay but the characters, story, music, and emotional ties to this game keep me extremely satisfied. The game is currently in the process of going back to tie a bunch of loose ends left from the second game.

That's currently whats going on here,
I enjoyed the show this week and am still bummed that I'm missing out on Fatal Frame 3 and Condemned 2, but can't wait for Brad to play Mario & Sonic at the Olympics.

Shameful Secrets:
Played, Loved, Haven't Beat - Advance Wars 2, Final Fantasy XII
Never Played, Never Beat - Final Fantasy VII
Never Played But Want To - Earthbound
Played and Will Beat - Metal Gear Solid


Take Care,
David

Oh people ask me why I don't listen to Chinese music since I speak Mandarin and could understand it. The answer is "Mostly because I can't stand that a lot of popular C-pop songs are not original." It's sampled or copied from other artists. A majority of popular Chinese Artists have covered at least one or two popular songs. Case in point this song. You'll probably be able to tell immediately where it's from. But for some reason I do really like this song. Maybe it's because the girl is actually kind of cute or because she's singing about not being afraid of roaches or the dark anymore. Maybe this could turn out to be Brad's new theme song?

Some Technical Difficulties

Sorry everyone but for some reason we are having some major issues posting podcast episodes 51, 53, and Top 5 Boss episodes. It is some kind of formatting issue that we will hopefully have worked out soon. In the mean time, you can watch the video version of those shows by clicking "Watch us Live" on the menu and selecting an episode. We will keep you updated and hopefully have these episodes up and running very soon! Thanks for all the support.

-Nick

Bioshock 2 is Official

So it was announced today that Bioshock 2 is officially in development and slated for release sometime in Q4 2009. The game is changing development teams however to 2K Marin. The good news however is that Ken Levine will be involved in the project so you should be able to rest easy. No information was released concerning the title's concept but it is rumored to be a prequel. I'll be sure to keep you posted.

-Nick

New Section Coming

Nick here. For months, I have been trying to decide what individual section I can bring to the site. David does his cover art, Brad does his Independent Game Spotlight but what is it that I can bring to the table? So after much thought, I have decided to bring a weekly "Upcoming Game Disclosure" which is basically a detailed unveiling of all the information relating to a particular title that is coming soon. Each addition will focus on a single title and will include most of the available information including platform, release window, game mechanics, story, developers, history, and of course an explanation of why you should be excited about it's release. I will also include 2 screenshots and a trailer which each post so be sure to check back every week. My first game disclosure will be Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fate for the DS. I will hopefully have this up sometime before next weekend along with my full review of Devil May Cry 4. Peace!

-Nick

Independent Games Spotlight #3

Not since Super Metroid have I played a 2d game this atmospheric. I stumbled onto this game (not "little game" ...why do people do that to indie projects?) by chance and I'm glad I did because this is one of the best gaming experiences I've had so far this year (came out last year, but played in 2008).

Nifflas' Knytt Stories

Knytt Stories is a series of 2d platform adventure games very much in the vain of a Metroid or a Castlevania. The major difference is you do not actually fight the enemies. There are enemies, challenging ones at that, but your goal is to simply get past them. This is because the core draw of the game is in the platforming and exploration, not any form of combat.

Much like Samus, Knytt has to find all his/her abilities again in order to navigate around the environment. The controls are very simple, but they have a Mario like tightness to them that needs to be experienced to be really understood. Whether you are climbing walls, gliding across a cavernous pit, or skillfully jumping to avoid an annoying enemy, navigating the world is truly a joy.

But don't be swayed by the graphics. The presentation in this game is top notch. The music was all made by the creator and is honestly some of the best game music I have ever heard. Nothing more than pallet changes are used to graphically set apart the different environments, but the music bring each area to life. The sound effects are also pretty rad. You will be hearing the Knytt wall climbing sound for days after you play this game.


I beat the main adventure "The Machine" in a few hours so this game isn't a huge time commitment. The creator, Nifflas, has made other "stories" using this engine including a pretty cool abstract world with some awesome verticality. Be sure to download the expansion from the site as well. He allows others to use his tools to make their own "stories" and makes them available for free as well, but I recommend starting with "The Machine". You can find the game here. I haven't tried his more recent work, but I'll be sure to check it out and report on it later.


Have fun


Brad

Nick's Laundry List Update Week 3

Once again, here is the progress I have made. For full impressions and details on EVERYthing I have been playing, check our weekly podcast.

- LOST: Via Domus - Completed 3 episodes.

- Fatal Frame 3: the Tormented - Currently in Chapter 3, about 2 hours in. (Be sure to check out our full playthrough by visiting our jtv page by clicking "watch us live" on the side menu.

- God of War Chains of Olympus- Completed the introduction stage (Battle of Attica)

Thats all I was able to accomplish this past week but its Spring Break so I should be able to get a lot under my belt. Stay tuned!

-Nick

New "Project Origins" Details Emerge

So today, Monolith unveiled some new information regarding their highly anticipated followup to FEAR. The game is in development for PC, PS3, and Xbox360. If you aren't familiar, the original FEAR placed you in the shoes of a member of "First Encounter Assault Recon", a special forces group specialized in handling "strange" situations. The game was incredibly atmospheric and creepy while at the same time did a wonderful job of creating pulse pounding action. The original introduced the player to a creepy little girl named ALMA who was incredibly powerful due to her telekenetic abilities. The sequel shows what happens when this powerful being is released into the world to wreak havok.
New Details:
- new, wide open environments in addition to classic, claustrophobic environments
- new weapons that will not be the same as those included in the FEAR expansion
- Multiplayer will exist but Monolith was not allowed to comment on it
- A larger variety of enemies to make things more interesting

Take a look at the new trailer for yourself:



-Nick

Nick's Bourne Conspiracy Update

Hey everyone, I know I have talked a lot about the upcoming Bourne Conspiracy game but here is yet another trailer that demonstrates the game's primary game mechanics: Shooting, Hand to Hand Combat, Driving, and Escape and Evade. I'm still very excited about the prospect of being able to step into the shoes of Jason Bourne but trust me, I am a little bit skeptical. So far, the game looks pretty fun so check out the video and I will continue to bring updates as the are released. Come on High Moon, don't let us down.



-Nick

This Week's Minutes

So just to get everyone up to date, we're having some internet problems right now which is why we haven't been live casting the last few days. The situation should be resolved Friday afternoon and we should be back up by evening.

I'm heading off to China in about 6 hours so I'll be out of commission as far as live stuff goes. With me I brought Professor Layton, Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations, Patapon, Rhythm Tengoku, and a mystery game which I will reveal on the show when I get back.

Brad and Nick will be playing sometime this weekend possibly Fatal Frame 3. I won't be able to be their live, but I'll try to find a way to show up in chat. And don't forget about Condemned 2 coming up this next week as well.

A quick reminder TGS this year will be from October 9-12. I'm looking forward to going to Japan if everything works out as planned.

Finally, Brad or Nick, could one of you log me onto my XB360 account so that the icon and gamerscore can get updated? I haven't had xbox live since it expired in December so it hasn't be able to update.

It'll be a while before I'll have the ability to get to a computer again so we'll see you on the flip side.

David

1 Day Left to Vote

Hey guys, this is just a friendly reminder that today is the last day to vote for which game will make up our next set of episodic content. Be sure to get your vote in before the poll ends at midnight. Once we know the winner, we will schedule the playthrough and post it as an upcoming event on jtv so you can subscribe to it. Once again, thanks for your participation!

-Nick

Brad's Radar 2008 Part 1

I'm excited about Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy XIII as much as the next guy but I tend to play more than just the major releases. When I discussed my most anticipated games of 2008 I mentioned mostly big titles, and I realize that I didn't reveal just how geeky my tastes really are. Here are some of the lesser known titles that have me excited this year.

Ys I and II (nds)


Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World (wii)


Rondo of Swords (nds)


Soma Bringer (nds)


Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES (ps2)


Yakuza 2 (ps2)


Baroque (wii, ps2)


Arcana Heart (ps2)


Valkyria Chronicles (ps3)



Prototype (ps3, 360)


(No sound, but 8 minutes of pure gameplay.)


Way more to come

Brad

Bioshock 2 "Concept Art"

Ben Mauro, a concept artist recently showed off some concept art for a pretend sequel to Bioshock. What do I mean by pretend? Simple, this art was done as part of a project for an art class he was taking. Sorry folks, its not real. Apparently, this project was to create concept art for a proposed sequel to a video game or movie and Mauro chose Bioshock. The cool thing is that Mauro was proud enough of his work to go ahead and forward them to Ken Levine, the mastermind behind Bioshock, to see what he thinks but has not heard back yet. The art looks great and is a new vision of the Bioshock universe. Mauro's idea seems to be going in a different direction which is what I think a Bioshock sequel would require. The concept art below is only a sample, you can find the rest by visiting KOTAKU.com.





So, I would love to hear what everyone would like to see in a sequel to Bioshock. Feel free to leave a comment and let us know what you would want from Bioshock 2.

-Nick

SFIV? What about KOFXII?

So I know there a lot of Street Fighter Fans out there and they're excited about the graphical changes being made but a little worried about the gameplay being messed with. Guilty Gear is a shadow of it's 2-d self. I don't think Arcana Heart and Melty Blood have the power to break into the mainstream American Market, so what else is there?

King of Fighters hasn't been one of my favorite fighting series. I always felt it stayed too much in the past and didn't make enough advances. They've decided to change the look completely, just like SFIV, but I think this is in a direction I'd much rather a 2-d game take. [HD Trailer]

Capcom is working on another 2-d fighter called Sengoku Basara X with Arc System Works (Guilty Gear). Arc is also working on another 2-d fighter called BlazBlue which hopefully will somewhat fill in the shoes of it's big brother. It seems like a big year for the fighter with everything coming out. Don't forget Tekken 6 and Soul Calibur IV to consoles.

**Side Note** - Arc is also working on a Wii game called Petit Copter which may be interesting, we'll see.

Cover Art #070 - Yakuza

First off, thanks to everyone who stopped by last night when I was playing MGS. I had a lot of fun and Brad and I are still talking about some of the mishaps. Especially thanks to those who stuck it out for the Gray Fox Ninja fight, for without you, I never would have gotten through it without you guys. There are a few clips from the fight up at the JTV site if you want to check it out and thanks to Cous, who made me look like a total tool falling for the Ninja Teleport move.

Secondly, Here's the cover art comparison for the week. You can get my impressions of the differences by going to the section [Here] If you guys have any suggestions on stuff you'd like to see, please feel free to mention it.


I'll be trying to finish up MGS before I leave for China on Friday. I can't commit to specific times due to exams and such before Spring Break. Chances are I'll be playing around 10ish after work, so if you wanna drop by, that'd be great.

Thanks,
David

Nick's Laundry List Update Week 2

So here is the progress I made in the last week:

-Condemned: Criminal Origins = Completed (you can watch the whole play-through on our justintv page)

- No More Heroes- Completed - Spent about 3 hours fighting the final boss to see the real ending. It took me forever.... finally finished

-Lost: Via Domus- 30 minutes in.

-Turok = Completed

Thats all for now.

-Nick

Now That is an Ear Full

For those of you who don't know of the advantages of the Blu-Ray Disc, let me educate you real quick. A normal DVD contains approximately 8 or 9 GB of space. A blu-ray disc can store up to 50 GB of storage space and do High Definition. This is obviously an incredible difference so it might be quite a shock to learn that apparently, a blu-ray disc is too small for Metal Gear Solid 4 on PS3! Konami spilled the beans to Famitsu magazine the other day about what this means for the highly anticipated title. Apparently, the European and Stateside versions of the game will not include Japanese voice language option, a cut that was made to allow it all to fit on one disc. For David, this might be a big deal. For me.... not so much. I don't intend on playing a game in a language I can't speak so no harm done. It is still quite shocking given the amount of dialogue in previous entries in the series. The end of MGS2 had hours of cutscenes and dialogue but still fit comfortably on a single DVD. Now try to imagine how much dialogue it must take to overflow a blu-ray disc! For me this isn't a bad thing because I love story but I still have to say it.... HOLY SHIT.

-Nick