4player Podcast

We're down a chair this week but it has little effect; Even this early in the year, there is so much to talk about! After Brad officially challenges Nick to play more Japanese games in 2024, the Fantasy Critic talk leads straight into a discussion about Balatro; one of the year's first niche indie darlings! Later, Nick tries to decipher Ultros but it proves more difficult than he imagined. In the 2nd segment, Brad dives deep into the complicated reception of Aspyr's remaster of Tomb Raider 1 - 3. Of course, we cap off the show with some more Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Housekeeping - Brad's Japan challenge to Nick (2:40) Housekeeping - Fantasy Critic updates (17:10) Impressions - Balatro (27:30) Impressions - Ultros (40:40) Impressions - Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered (57:15) Impressions - Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (1:32:00) 4Player Minute (1:45:00)

We open the show this week with the reveal of our community's top 10 games of 2023! After that, we are finally able to play and talk about Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League; Rocksteady's long-awaited follow-up to the Arkham series and their first (and hopefully last) foray into GAAS. Krispy has played the entire campaign and has plenty to say about it; Both positive and negative! Brad talks more about Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth this week but he focuses entirely on one aspect... a mini game that can only be described as "Sleazy Animal Crossing." Nick gives his early impressions of Persona 3 Reload as well; Which coincides with his first time playing this game... ever! Finally, the Chris's talk about Helldivers 2 which certainly holds the potential to be surprise hit... the question is: Does it have legs? Housekeeping - The Community's Top 10 Games of 2023 (3:50) Impressions - Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (30:20) Impressions - Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (1:01:15) Impressions - Persona 3

This week, we discuss not ONE, but TWO, Sony State of Plays! First, we delve into all of the new info about Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Nolan gives us his thoughts after playing through the brand new demo! After that, Brad takes another journey into the wackly world of Yakuza with Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and to nobody's surprise, he loves it. In the second half, Nick finally broaches the subject of Konami's handling of the Silent Hill revival after having a few days to contemplate. It's a complex subject given the breadth of projects in development versus the games we have actually played but he does his best. Of course, this includes his thoughts on Silent Hill: The Short Message, a free 2-hour experience that seems dead-set on artificially re-creating P.T... spoiler alert, that was probably a bad idea. Housekeeping - GOTY Videos! (3:45) Reactions - Final Fantasy VII Rebirth details + Demo Impressions (18:15) Impressions - Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (46:00) Inquiring Minds want to Know: How doe

Despite the strong start to the year in terms of good game releases, it's been an overwhelmingly shitty week for the industry thanks to an abundance of layoffs and Embracer's continued reign of terror which has now led to the cancellation of a new Deus Ex game. We do our best to remain positive though amidst the chaos. In the first segment, we catch up on Fantasy Critic and talk predictions ahead of Sony's first big State of Play for 2024. In the second segment, Nick and Brad revel in the sheer quality of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and Brad takes us through his early impressions of Tekken 8. Housekeeping - GOTY content is starting to roll out (2:40) Predictions - State of Play for January 31, 2024 (14:10) Headlines - Mass layoffs + Embracer's reign of terror leads to cancelled Deus Ex game (59:20) Impressions - Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (1:08:30) Impressions - Tekken 8 (1:28:30) 4Player Minute (1:46:50)

Its 2024 and we are kicking things off with some indie gems and some closer looks at a few big games coming to Xbox later this year. Chris Davis gives us his thoughts on last year's Trepang2 which has us all spiraling about the state of Monolith and the potential (or lack thereof) for a return of the FEAR franchise. Brad talks about two games that seem tailor made for him; Cobalt Core has DNA from both card-based deck builders and FTL; Kingsvein is a super dynamic and systems driven strategy game that feels like a Final Fantasy Tactics game with a heavy dose of immersive sim. In the second segment, we discuss our reactions to Microsoft's latest "Developer Direct" presentation which gave us closer looks at Avowed and Senua's Saga: Hellblade II. Of course, we also got our first look at Machine Games new project, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Housekeeping - GOTY Plans + Fantasy Critic superdrops Impressions - Trepang2 Impressions - Cobalt Core Impressions - Kingsvein Headlines - A closer look at Avowed (M

As is customary around these parts... we send off another great year in video game releases with our annual Awards show! Despite our best efforts to trim the fat, it's hard not to talk about the games that we love (and in some cases, hate) so enjoy another long episode! We talk about everything from hidden gems like Pseudorgalia, to indie bangers like Sea of Stars, to massive successes like Baldur's Gate 3! We even venture down some unexpected rabbit holes like the realistic snot that DEFINED Brad's moment of the year and the... tumultuous reactions to Starfield and Final Fantasy XVI. Community Game of the Year Drawing Winners 2023 Regrets - The games we didn't get to Best World / Level Design Best Looking Game Best Video Game Moment Break - Best Soundtrack - Dave the Diver (Nolan) and Baldur's Gate 3 (Kris) Best Storytelling **BIG SPOILER WARNING FOR STAR WARS: JEDI SURIVOR (1:33:30)** Best Boss Fight Best New Character Break - Best Soundtrack - Xenoblade Chronicles: Future Redeemed (Ed) and Sea of Stars (C

With a new year comes an onslaught of new games to be excited about. As is now tradition around these parts, we kick off the new year with the initial Draft in our ongoing Fantasy Critic league! This year, Ed joins the fray, bringing our roster up to seven! We learned a lot over the last year and I think it shows because not only are our individual rosters stronger and spicier, counter-picking was absolute hell! But hey, it makes for a fun podcast. Pay attention at the beginning for the rundown of the rules and all of the changes we have implemented and then sit back and enjoy. Thanks for joining us for another year of video games! How Fantasy Critic Works (4:20) Determining the draft order (12:10) Initial Draft (18:55) Counterpicks (1:15:00)

For all intents and purposes, 2023 was a great year for gamers but the development / business side of the industry has taken a savage beating. In our final podcast of the year, we talk about two more high-profile cancellations: Naughty Dog's The Last of Us multiplayer project AND E3 were both taken off life support in the past week. Brad talks up Bomb Rush Cyberfunk and Pizza Tower as he squeezes in a few more games prior to Awards season and Chris Davis has us covered with his thoughts on the remake of Super Mario RPG. In the second half of the show, we devote our time to the past, present, and future of Fantasy Critic. We talk final rankings and then hash out the changes and improvements we want to implement in 2024 - including ways of allowing the community to join in the fun more directly! Housekeeping / Game of the Year Plans (2:38) Headline: E3 is (finally) dead (14:50) Headline: Naughty Dog / Sony Cancel 'The Last of Us' Multiplayer Project (19:45) Impressions: Bomb Rush Cyberfunk (35:40) Impressions:

It's an unexpected race against time this week! Sudden, unexpected technical difficulties near the end of the episode force us to do battle with Chris Davis' PC as it tries to silence us. Before that though, we delve into the first ever Grand Theft Auto VI trailer and take a look back at the history of the series and the impact it has had on culture and the industry. Rather than close out the show in our usual fashion, Brad runs us through a series of increasingly ridiculous predictions ahead of The Game Awards. Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer Reactions (09:20) The Game Awards Predictions (51:35)

Ed returns to the show after a hectic but exciting year of traveling and moving across the country! We take some time to catch up with him about Final Fantasy XVI, The Talos Principle 2, Shadow Gambit, and even impressions of the new Steam Deck OLED! The group discusses the latest developments surrounding Dragon's Dogma 2 (including a release date) and the upcoming Fallout adaption on Amazon. Brad makes an argument on Persona 5 Tactica as a potential 2023 underdog and Nick shares his thoughts on Cyberpunk 2077 now that the big 2.0 update has redeemed it in the eyes of players years after launch. Catching up with Ed (6:05) Housekeeping / Fantasy Critic (25:20) Headlines - Dragon's Dogma 2 has a Release Date! (36:00) Headlines - Our first look at the Fallout TV series (50:30) Impressions - Persona 5 Tactica (59:25) Impressions - Steam Deck OLED (1:13:20) Impressions - Cyberpunk 2077 (1:26:00) 4Player Minute (2:05:40)

After a week off from recording due to unforeseen circumstances, we are back with a vengeance! We are bursting at the seams with new (and mostly exciting) games to talk about! Brad gives us the skinny on the latest Yakuza titled: Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased his Name, and Nick recaps his time with Jusant; a touching and impassioned homage to classics like Ico. Chris Davis fills the group in on his latest... video game life choices which includes playing all the way through RoboCop: Rogue City and Redfall. Nick also takes a deep dive into The Talos Principle II which easily earns a place among puzzle game classics like The Witness and even Portal. Housekeeping / Fantasy Critic Impressions - Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased his Name (15:20) Impressions - Jusant (30:00) Impressions - RoboCop: Rogue City (43:00) Impressions - The Talos Principle 2 (1:05:30) Impressions - Redfall (1:24:00) 4Player Minute (1:43:00)

This week, we have the pleasure of delving into TWO quality games that couldn't be more different! Brad looks back on his time with Super Marios Bros Wonder and applauds it's accomplishments while pondering it's place in 2D Mario history. In the 2nd segment, Nick and Chris Davis dive into Alan Wake 2; a long-awaited sequel that brought the best out of Remedy thanks to it's ambitious, open-ended design and it's dramatic pivot into the horror genre. Of course, it's not all rainbows and lollipops. We discuss Konami's baffling decision to lead the Silent Hill reboot with Silent Hill Ascension; a perplexing and somewhat embarrassing experiment that nobody asked for. Housekeeping / Fantasy Critic Discussion Silent Hill Ascension and the reboot of Silent Hill (22:56) Impressions - Super Mario Bros Wonder (33:50)  Impressions - Alan Wake II (58:50)  4Player Minute - (1:34:44)

Another week, another huge release for 2023. We spend MOST of the first segment this week talking about Insomniac's Spider-Man 2; a bold, polished sequel that delivers on almost every front. As it happens, it almost over-delivers with it's new wing-suit mechanics. After that, we ponder the current state of Insomniac and hypothesize about their upcoming Wolverine game. In the second segment, Brad gives us the rundown on two new indie releases worthy of your time and attention: Killer Frequency (Happy Halloween!) and Laika: Aged Through Blood - a game that feels like Trials HD and Castlevania had a brutally challenging baby... Housekeeping / Fantasy Critic  Impressions - Spider-Man 2 (12:55)  Discussion - The state of Insomniac and the potential directions for 'Wolverine' (50:40) Impressions - Killer Frequency (1:09:20) Impressions - Laika: Aged Through Blood (1:19:35) 4Player Minute - (1:29:30)

It's a strange week. We find ourselves in the midst of spooky season as we await the imminent release of some of the years biggest games. After some Halloween banter, we delve into the latest developments surrounding Naughty Dog's troubled Last of Us multiplayer project and the announcement of the new PS5 Slim. In the second segment, Brad finally has an opportunity to talk about the demo for Star Ocean: The Second Story R; An impressive remake of a PS1 classic that also calls more attention to the weird choices Square Enix is making. Nick and Chris Davis talk about the double edged sword that is Assassins Creed Mirage and then brad makes a compelling case for El Paso Elsewhere. Housekeeping - Please take our listener survey (link below) News - The Last of Us Factions 2 is in trouble - (35:15) News - Sony announces PS5 Slim - (42:45) Impressions - Star Ocean: The Second Story R (Demo) - (49:20) Impressions - Assassin's Creed Mirage - (1:02:10) Impressions - El Paso Elsewhere - (1:27:00) 4Player Minute - (1:43

It may be a skeleton crew this week but this industry slows down for nobody; Especially in 2023! We take an unexpected detour into Assassin's Creed territory up front but then go on to revisit Armored Core VI. Nick gushes over Cocoon; A game which may be struggling to find it's audience in such a crowded release season but is undoubtedly one of the best puzzle games of the year. A Starfield discussion goes sideways for Nick and Chris delivers his verdict on Telltale's The Expanse now that the full season has wrapped. Also, it's been an absolutely terrible week for game developers... Tangent - Assassin's Creed Mirage is Out Impressions - Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon Impressions - Cocoon Impressions - The Expanse Impressions - Payday 3 4Player Minute

Microsoft can't seem to catch a break. The Activision aquisition led to another massive document leak which gives us some insight into Bethesda's future lineup including new entries in the DOOM and Dishonored franchises and some rather shocking assessments about the value of certain games when it comes to Game Pass. We also react to the new gameplay footage for Dragons Dogma 2 and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth which dropped this week at the Tokyo Game Show. Of course, the 2023 onslaught of cool games continues as we talk about the likes of Mortal Kombat 1, Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew (Mimimi's final game), and the new Separate Ways DLC for Resident Evil 4! News - Huge Microsoft Leak News - Reactions to new 'Dragons Dogma 2' and 'Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth' gameplay Impressions - Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways Impressions - Mortal Kombat 1 Impressions - Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew 4Player Minute

It has been a whirlwind week in the world of video games but more importantly, we are sporting new podcasting uniforms; In case there was any doubt that our nerdiness knew no bounds. Of course, we dip our toes in the big Unity debacle that has taken the industry by storm this week and we discuss a major departure from Respawn / EA. It is also a historic day in which a Nintendo Direct and Sony State of Play were held on the same day so we run through the highlights. In the second segment, Brad talks Pseudoregalia and we take our first stab at Starfield impressions which, thus far, is proving to be a bit of a mixed bag. Nick and Chris delve deeper into Sea of Stars and we discuss our time playing The Texas Chainsaw Massacre last week. New Uniforms! News - Unity fucked up big time News - Stig Asmussen leaves EA / Respawn News - Nintendo Direct / Sony State of Play recaps Impressions - Pseudoregalia Impressions - Starfield Impressions - Sea of Stars Impressions - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 4Player Minute

It's a good news, bad news week. The good news is that Starfield reviews have landed and while they aren't blowing Baldur's Gate 3 out of the water, they do seem to indicate that it's not a disaster! On the other hand, the industry suffered several unexpected studio closures this week. Mimimi announced Shadow Gambit would be their last game and Embracer group shut down Volition. With that said, the year of great gaming continues! We dig into Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon and Blasphemous 2; Two games that faithfully continue their respective franchises while opting to play it safe. Chris also gives us his very early thoughts on Sea of Stars which is on it's way to becoming one of the best reviewed RPG's of the year... outside of Baldur's Gate 3 of course. Housekeeping + Fantasy Critic Update News - Starfield Reviews are HERE News - Mimimi & Volition Studio Closures Impressions - Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon Impressions - Blasphemous 2 Impressions - Sea of Stars 4Player Minute

We take a break this week from the onslaught of current games to delve once again into the world of "what if?" Inspired the release of 'Bomb Rush Cyberfunk' - an indie spiritual successor to 'Jet Set Radio' - we discuss our Top 3 games or franchises that we wish would be reborn as an indie spiritual successor. The possibilities are endless but our answers range from classics like Mega Man Legends to cult hits like Manhunt. These may never come to pass but anything could happen and it's always fun to imagine. Want to share your thoughts or leave a comment on this episode? Visit the official posting for this episode on 4PlayerNetwork.com!

The show name says it all. We live in a post Baldur's Gate 3 world and despite our best efforts at staying on topic, we feel the pull of this massive game in almost every segment. We take our 2nd dive into the game and talk about the impact it has had on the industry and more specifically, the impending release of Starfield which has officially gone gold! We also spend a few minutes talking predictions about next week's Opening Night Live presentation at Gamescom. Chris Davis shares his experience with the recent Payday 3 beta and Brad talks about Blasphemous which he has finally played now that the sequel looms on the horizon. Housekeeping + Fantasy Critic Update News - Starfield has gone gold News - Gamescom is next week; What do we expect? Impressions - Baldur's Gate 3 Impressions - Payday 3 Impressions - Blasphemous 4Player Minute