Brad's Laundry List - "Holy crap it's November already?" Edition

It's been awhile since I did one of these.

Completed:
World of Goo - 100%
Dead Space - 100%
Killer 7 - 100%
Advance Wars: Days of Ruin - 100%
Urban Chaos: Riot Response - 100%

Working on:
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia - 70%
Fallout 3 - 20%?
Silent Hill 5 - 40%
Wipeout HD - 50%
Little Big Planet(MM levels) - 20%
Mega Man 9 - 15%
Yakuza 2 - 85%
Tales of Vesperia - 40%?
Castle Crashers - 20%
Final Fantasy 4 DS - 25%
FFTA2 - 30%

N+ - 90%
N+ Pack 1 - 100%
N+ Pack 2 - 90%
N+ Pack 3 - 20%
N+ DS - 20%

Odin Sphere - This game is too long%
Half Life - 60%
Oblivion: Shivering Isles - 20%?
Penumbra: Black Plague - 20%???
Silent Hill 1 - 50%?
Tomb Raider 2 - 20%

Gonna do a full 2008 list soon.


Brad

Hands On with Mirror's Edge

The long awaited demo of Dice's new first person action adventure game, Mirror's Edge has finally hit the playstation network (and Xbox Live a day later). You are probably all aware that this is my most anticipated game of the fall season because of its innovative concept and smooth and satisfying gameplay mechanics. While David was pretty skeptical of the game, he went out and pre-ordered the game after getting some hands on time with it at Tokyo Game Show. So I went ahead and downloaded the demo so that I could give our readers my full impressions and make my own decision as to whether or not this is still my most anticipated game of the fall season.

The first glimpse of the game that the demo shows you is the stylized cutscene that introduces the games story. I'm not exactly sure if this style of cutscene will populate the whole game but it definitely adds another layer of style to an already impressive visual feat. I'm not sure whether or not I would like realistic, in game cut-scenes as opposed to these cartoony (or as Brad would say, eSurance commercial style) but for now, I think suit the game just fine.

The demo begins with a brief training unit to get you used to the controls and let me just say that this is a game that lives or dies by its control scheme. One thing that many people have complained about it is the accuracy and precision that is required when you timing your jumps and calculating your landings. This definitely does hold true because the slightest miscalculation can send you plummeting to the streets below but it doesn't seem like a nuisance at all because the moment you die, your character is immediately started at the last checkpoint. There doesn't seem to be any load times to wait for after a death at all and the checkpoints are plentiful enough to ensure that you will never be repeating giant portions of a level to get to the one part that keeps messing you up. As for controls, there may be a few slight complaints in terms of button mapping because much of the game is actually controlled with the shoulder buttons. Jumping and crouching are accomplished by using the L1 and L2 buttons and wall jumping requires a quick combination of L1 and R1. For the most part however, it works well but it will definitely take a little bit of practice to really get the hang of it.

Like David, my biggest concern from a control standpoint is executing takedowns on enemies. Since most of the game is controlled with the shoulder buttons, switching to face buttons on the fly to take down an enemy is going to make for a challenge. Takedowns are executed using the triangle button and usually result in Faith receiving the enemy's weapon. If you approach the enemy from behind, the takedown only requires a tap of the triangle button but approaching from the front is a bit trickier. Since enemies will be aware of your presence, you have to time the takedown just right. The takedown will require you to wait until the gun turns red for you to tap triangle, otherwise you end up being bitch slapped by the enemy. Luckily there is a slow motion feature that can be activated with square to make this a little easier.

Lastly, I want to comment on the use of "Runner Vision". This feature acts in the way as the golden trail in Fable 2 but requires a little bit more of the players attention. Objects within the environment that can be used to help you maneuver the environment will turn bright red as you approach them. This is an interesting method of leading the player to the final destination. For those who don't want the hint and would like to get through the level using their nothing but their brain have the option of turning this feature off completely. The feature itself helps a lot and does not seem to distract you from the game and suck you out of the experience which is definitely something that could have become a problem.

The demo is impressive and the controls are no longer much of a concern for me. While their will be a bit of a learning curve, I feel that this game will be incredibly satisfying every time you pull off a difficult maneuver. My only real concern now is the takedown mechanics but that too will fade in time i'm sure. I'm still very excited for the game and I can't wait to get my hands on the full version in just under two weeks.

-Nick

P.S.- This is what a Bourne game should have been.

It's November, Already?

We only have a few hours left before Halloween and then after that, it will be November. It will be a big month for games and also a big month for us. I'd like to thank all the viewers and the mods for helping us become what we are today. Three million views. Never did we expect that this year. Nick, Brad, and I did the show together for a year with basically no one listening except a few friends and family. We started doing the JTV thing earlier this year not knowing what to expect out of it. Now, here we are 10-11 months later and we're doing nightly shows, weekly podcasts, charity events, and talking about other projects for the future. I'm sorry I can't go into detail about those projects, but I can say, that we're planning for something big and hoping for something bigger. 

So for you guys who watch the show, I hope you guys can finish of the year strongly. Do well in school and/or work. Just know we'll be doing the same, trying to make the next two months as entertaining as possible.

Thanks for all your support,

David

Fallout 3 and its Utter Defeat

Hello, once again. It is me, a'Travis!
I come bearing good news...
I have defeated the likes of Fallout 3, and it shall never return.... Cough, cough.
So I have had the game for two days, and in those two days I created a total game time play of...
Count 'em
24 hour and 24 seconds. In which time I completed numerous side quests, the main story line, and have explored a great area of the map. And I am still tinkering around.
There is 100 hours of gameplay available here, and I aim to find it.

So, let us being the all mighty.... Review.


Now I could start this review with the expected, what you want to hear from me. That being, me begging you to buy this game, as if you were some ignorant fool who was still on the borderline of whether or not you should buy this. Of course, I don't have to persuade anyone, because if you have yet to buy this game, it is either because you lack the funds and are currently planning your robbery of said game, or you are mentally retarded.
Either case is acceptable.
Accept the latter.
So now lets really begin.


And I want to begin it like this.

Never, in my life, in my career of video game...age, have I ever
EVER
Actually felt drawn into a story, actually been pissed off when the story line took an evil turn. Been literally angry that my character was wronged, and the good guys were wronged.
Fallout 3 showed me something new. Through the character I created, the "very good Paragon", I was able to connect with him rather than previous games, whether the character doesnt say much (Halo, Mario, Oblivion, whatever) completely and utterly. Why, I am not sure. Maybe its because the story line is so well put together. Maybe attempting to restore America gives me some sort of glory. Maybe I am a daddies boy. Whatever the case may be, honest to god emotions were spilled at certain points of this game. Something I can not say about any other game.

So, that being said, lets get specific.

Character Creation.
Best character creation sequence Ever encountered. Starting off as just popping out of your mothers vagina, you choose your sex, name, and predetermined appearance (don't ask me how, fancy future shit). You grow a year, learn to walk, then determine your set S.P.E.C.I.A.L points. (Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility and Luck) by reading a childrens book. You then get some serious foreshadowing that you won't realize till much later in the game (nice). 9 years later, you get your pip boy and take your G.O.A.T. test, which determines your set skill points. And then, story takes place, blah blah blah, your off into the world. speaking of off into the world

Atmosphere and Graphics
I walked out of the vault for the first time, I was initially blinded... And once that faded... I had to change my pants.
Yes, its the same engine as Oblivion. Whatever, they did something spectacular somewhere.
The world, for lack of a better word, looks like poo poo. There are no trees, the grass is a dull brownish green, if there is any grass. Any building you see is halfway destroyed. Its a sad sight to behold. yet, they do so... sooooo beautifully. Its amazing how much thought and effort was put into making sure this place really looks like the shitter. This wasteland... well it is a wasteland. I havn't felt this immersed in a gaming enviornment, well, since oblivion.

VATS and Fighting

FPS sucks. Aiming is off. and when you are meleeing, it is exactly like Oblivion. But I feel as if they almost did this on purpose, to almost force us to take advantage of the awesome system that is VATS. It is so simple to use, it doesn't really require any additional strategy, and it takes almost no time at all (except for that damn slow motion sequence everytime). Its hard for VATS to get repetitive, but when it does, just initiate Bloody mess.

Sounds and Music
Sounds, are what you would expect, nothing out of the ordinary.
Now the music in the game, the actual Fallout music that is, is nothing extraordinary, but its pleasant. THe 50's music you hear from time to time... is unfortunately not very satisfying. You remember the three or four songs you heard from trailers and cd's leading up to launch? yah... thats about it.

Ok, i've decided to quit this sad attempt at structure and just go with how i normally write now.

Fallout 3 is everything I could ever want it to be. It is on my top ten, without a doubt.
When your arm is crippled, you can't shoot correctly because there is a black void over your cross hairs.
You can unlock a mask which keeps the Feral Ghouls from attacking you.
There is a dog that you can own.
You can have houses.
The actions you choose which determine your Karma, actually feel fluid, rather than games like Fable where its just a simple step to evil or Good.
Its scary as shit in those sewers and Subway stations.
You hate going into raider infested areas, but at the same time you love it.
Each side quest feels important, not like something they just added on to give us more content. Every quest has some sort of background, interesting story in which it is up to you whether or not you look further into it.
It is amazing to be alone in the waste lands, to look up, and see buzzards circling you.
The ending, is by far, one of the best I have ever encountered, no matter how much it pissed me off that the game ended. (thank god for multiple save files)
You can buy and sell (and free) slaves.
Every city and settlement has a unique background.
You get to STEAL the decleration of Independence.
and so much freaking more. and when I am not saying that because I really don't have any more, but just want you to assume so, I really mea... so much FREAKING more. This game has 100 hours of gameplay, and I have got 24 down. This weekend is already in the shitter because I have dedicated my life to mastering this game.
I have already created my second character, an alcoholic... an ACOHOLIC!!! What game can you do that in!?!?!?!?

oh, by the way, still havn't gone to bed. its seven in the morning. Guess what I was playing all night?


Love,
Travis

David's Super Spooky Halloween Contest

So Mike and I have been working on trying to get a T-shirt made and ready. We've gone through a couple options like using an online distributor or using an online store like cafepress. We're trying our best to make something that's not going to cost you $25 a shirt so we're currently testing prototypes for shirts that we made ourselves. That's right, we've assembled a printing screen ourselves and have begun making a few test shirts to see how it looks and how the quality holds up. So we've decided to give away a few of these test shirts on a contest so we can get feedback on how you guys feel about them. If you want a chance to win a shirt (pictured above) all you have to do is email a picture of yourself in your Halloween Costume. There's really no criteria other than that. We just want to see how many people are still doing the costume thing for Halloween. We'll pick out winners for originality, game relatedness, or just plain cool factor. So here's what to do.

Email me the picture at davidliao@4playerpodcast.com with the subject as "4PP Halloween Contest." Make sure to include your JTV name, what your costume is about or depicting. Also, please specify if you want your photo shown to the public. We may pick the best ones to show on the blog or in the forum, but we'll only do so with your permission. So let us know which.

Here's the forum link so you guys can do your thing. [Forum]

We'll set the deadline for Sunday night so you'll have until basically next week to finish through your candy and hangovers to send the picture.

Have a safe Halloween,
David

PS - If we get over 40 entries, I'll post a picture of Nick in his Prince Charming Costume from 2 Halloween's ago. Sorry Nick.

It's Official, Ladies & Gentlemen

I got the official confirmation a couple hours ago. We got accepted. Sandra, Mike, and Myself will be at Ikkicon 3 February 6-8 at the Austin Hilton. I guess you could call this our first "public" appearance. We'll have a booth set up and we'll at least be selling a couple shirts and some of Mike's artwork. One of us, either Mike, Sandra, or Myself should probably be cosplaying so I'm sure we'll be up for taking pictures with you. If any of you are anime fans and are planning to go to Ikkicon, we'd love to see you out there, so let us know.

I know Juan is a big Anime fan and had planned to go already so I can pretty much guarantee that he'll be around as well. I've asked Travis and am in the process of waiting to hear back from Matt. We all live in Austin so we'll see if Nick and Brad would be interested in going.

So I guess that's it. I'll let you guys know close to the date when I get more info.

Thanks,
David

It's Official Bitches

I can now resume my giddy excitement for the upcoming Ghostbusters game because it has been confirmed that Atari has in fact picked up the publishing rights to the game. I will remain skeptical as always because I know that the game could flop but that doesn't mean I can't hope I'm wrong. I was more than willing to give the Bourne game a try despite the negative associations that licence games are stuck with and despite its many flaws, its a game that I am happy to have played. Atari also gave the game a release window of early summer 2009 to coincide with the anniversary of the first film! I will re-reserve my copy as soon as possible.

P.S.- They also picked up the rights to publish "Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena"

-Nick

Yep, Exactly

Why, Yoda Why? You were supposed to set the example for the light side. Never failing. All knowing. A picture perfect of peace. But you had to do it.

I'm not sure when this actually happened, but I just saw that Yoda is downloadable content for Soul Calibur IV on the PS3. I can only assume that the same is for Darth Vader on Xbox 360. I specifically remember someone at Namco saying that they were exclusive to each of their systems and that they had no plans of releasing the characters on other systems, but I guess at $4.99 they just couldn't resist. Thanks Brad for buying the Tales of Vesperia costumes, look what you're supporting.

The End is Near thanks to DLC,
David

Here's what I think of Star Wars.













I bet that turned you on. God, Star Wars fans make me sick.

Uh, that wasn't me....

Some of you may have seen Fable 2 being played on the feed last night. Let me start by stating on the record, That Wasn't Me. I know it may have looked, sounded, or possibly even talked like me, but it wasn't. If you'll go a few posts back, you'll see that I gave up on Fable a few days ago so I couldn't possibly have played it. I did get on contact however with a good friend of mine, Buster Trace, and he has admitted to get on the feed last night to play Fable 2.

He said that it's a horrible game full of pervs and pedos and that I should stay away from it at all cost. Five minutes into the game he was propositioned by multiple NPCs for sexual favors. Being as he was an underage female character, we were both extremely offended. His female character was also referred to as "the twins," which I personally find degrading towards women.

The game is riddled with problems and the Co-Op is a joke. Buster wants to know what aspects of the game make it cooperative. There are problems with characters not syncing up. The story not logically making sense. People wandering around doing weird things in places their not supposed to be. The combat is a mash fest. And the story line is about as complex as the yellow line you follow around. But for some reason Buster was intrigued. 

Look for Buster to play more of it tonight,

David

Cover Art Comparison - Castlevania: Lament of Innocence

So the recent Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia cover is certainly better than its DS predecessors. It definitely does not live up to Ayami Kojima's artwork, but hey... what does? I was originally going to do a comparison of the new DS game, but I stumbled on to something way more criminal.

The PS2 Castlevania games were not great, but they did have great music and even better artwork. Here are the two amazing covers for the US and Japanese release of Lament of Innocence.

Here is the US version. Fucking amazing.


The Japanese version is also pretty awesome.




>_>


<_<


0_o


WHAT THE FUCK DID THEY DO TO EUROPE?




Worse than ICO


Brad

Random Thoughts

Now that the Piano Blank PSP-3000 has been canceled, I am 100% sure I will not be buying a new PSP this Holiday Season.

GameStop is having a "Be in the next Guitar Hero" Contest. I guess they took a page from Air Guitar Nation and decided to have a contest. For anyone who entered our 4PP Air Guitar Contest, I think you should submit yours. It's possible your likeness could be in the next Guitar Hero Game.

Little Big Planet servers are down. What a bitch this game is becoming. Honestly...I'm about this close to.... 

Drum problems for Guitar Hero, what a surprise.

Jack Thompson was disbarred. It's not news. He's a prick. Let's move on. No one mention him again, EVER!

I'm loving Cowboy Bebop. Just started watching it. I know, I'm 10 years late.

Have you seen what you can do with the DSi? It's interesting.

Is anyone going to Ikkicon in February?

We're a video game blog, no talk about Madden.

Why is Brian Crecente always posting about an experience with his kid? I'm not a proud father yet, so I'm being kind of an ass. But why would I care about his kid's opinion on a video game? Plus it sucks hearing about all the video game free shit he gets. (No Offense Mr. Crecente, I'm a little bitter)

Thank goodness, Kotaku finally took that Activision Playmate's article off their featured bar. Everytime I went to their site I had to avoid clicking on it....again.

That's it for now,

David

We Love Fanwork!

Thanks contourman for making the video compliation. I had a good laugh rewatching these clips, especially ones of Brad being, well, Brad.

Oh and of course, thanks GreyFox and rabbeseking

Thanks,

David

Top 5 Podcast recording tonight - Let's hear yours.

What are the games people just don't get. They think a game is one thing... when it really isn't. They think a game should be played one way when... LOL ther' doin' it wrong. Ever buy a game you thought was one genre, but it was completely different? Have you ever felt a game or series has been portrayed incorrectly by players or the media? What are the games you feel never got a fair shake because of what people might have thought of them before ever trying said games. What about games they got a chance because they thought it would be like "that other game", but it wasn't.

Tonight we will be doing our Top 5 Most Misunderstood Video Games.

We want to hear your opinions on this topic. Post your lists here in the Top 5 Misunderstood Games thread.


Brad

This video contains large breasts and tigers getting kicked in the face. Watch it.

Video contains some positive preview impressions from 1up.

I'm getting more excited. Just worried about length.






(that's what she said)


Brad

Live Recording Tonight

Just a reminder, Podcast #86 will be recorded live tonight at around 10 PM Central time. Tune in if you want to see us live or you can always download the MP3 later.

Thanks,

David

Meh, that's good enough

Everyone once in a while, you come up with a plan so devious that you almost feel bad unleashing it on the world. So instead I decided to use my little scheme on the unsuspecting members of our chat. I "set up" an online night yesterday to get chatters to help me test out a little game I had made up. Little did they know, they were not competing but actually the targets of my game. Thanks again Mike for helping me with the scheme. My job was to keep everyone occupied and on the line focused on me. It didn't go as perfectly as I wanted but hey, "It's all part of the plan."

Forgive my poor Joker impersonation,

David

That's a Wrap

I am pleased to say that I just finished up playing through Dead Space for the PS3. The game was definitely an experience that should be experienced by all. I won't go into detail because you can expect a full review to hit the site in the next week or so. So now I must press on. I have a bet with David that I will finish every game I pick up this fall before the end of the year with the exception of Fallout 3 and perhaps Far Cry 2 (due to their length). Next up, Fable 2. I hope to get some time on this game so I can at least form my initial impressions of the game prior to our next podcast. Speaking of the next podcast, episode 86 will be recorded on Monday night right before I head to the store to pick up Fallout 3 at midnight! Check the site often this week guys because it is going to be a doozie. That's all for now!

-Nick

The Return of Online Night

Tonight members of chat will be helping me test out a new game I've created in the world of GTA IV. We'll be playing it on Xbox Live around 8PM Central time. I've sent out acceptance letters to everyone who applied using email, so please check your email if you have applied. I still have a few slots open is anyone is interested. 

Please email me at davidliao@4playerpodcast.com, with "GTA IV Online Night 10/26" as the title. Give me your JTV chat name and your Xbox Gamertag.

See you tonight,

David

Dead Space: Attack of the Suits

So I am working hard to play through Dead Space as we speak and decided to take a quick break to give my impressions of the extra suits that can be unlocked in the game. First of all, the basic suit that Isaac starts with looks cool already. Its design is complex and sleek and definitely plays a big role in the games style and excellent art direction. For those who bought the game early however, PSN and Xbox Live are offering 2 exclusive suits (1 for each platform) that can be downloaded for free within the first two weeks of the games release. After that 2 week period is over, players will have to pay 2.49 for the suit. I went ahead and downloaded mine yesterday and slapped it on the see if it was worth it and here are my thoughts.

Since I am playing on the PS3, I was able to download the "Obsidian Suit" which is a metallic black version of the original suit with dark blue helmet lights. While the suit seems to be purely aesthetic, it does provide 10% better health and 10% more inventory space. The suit gleams in the light and really manages to fit in well with the games many dark and opressive environments. I like the suit a lot and would not go back to the original for anything. Check out the video below to get a look at what I mean:


Xbox 360 owners can download the elite suit which seems to be a gold plated suit with a much more complex design. This suit also provides the health and inventory bonuses. I think this suit looks great and I kind of wish I could use it but I must say, I think the metallic black of the Obsidian suit is much sleeker looking. Check it out:


Last but not least, there is the Scorpion Suit which seems to be similar to the Obsidian suit but red. According to sources, this was supposed to be given to people who pre-ordered the game at EB and Gamestop but being that I may (or may not) work at this store, I can't seem to remember getting these in. If anyone could shed some light as to where this suit can be acquired, leave it as a comment please.


This suits may not make a huge impact on the way the game is played but I do think that they add to the already impressive art style of the game so hurry up and get your free download before they cost money!

WARNING** ONCE YOU PUT ON THE SUIT, IT CAN'T BE REMOVED

-Nick

Round 1: Wily 1, David 0

If you tuned in last night, I played Mega Man 9 for about 4 hours trying to get through the game. What took the most time was learning everything. The traps in the levels, enemy distribution, the boss patterns. But behind all of the repetition and frustration, something has me hooked. 

I woke up this morning not with a feeling of disappointment, having played for an enourmous amount of time doing the same thing and not having something to show for it, but instead waking up feeling refresh and pondering when the next time I would have another shot at the game.

Here's why. Boss memorization. Even if you know what to use or do to beat a boss, you still have to be physically able to do it. There's nothing like that feeling of unsurity whether or not you're going to make it. Over the course of Mega Man 9, I've had so many close calls. And even though I failed many a time because I didn't just take the easy way out by using a certain weapon or energy tank, I know I've gotten better. For example, I got to Dr. Wily (which hopefully was th final boss) and during his first form, you have to bounce these explosive eggs back at him. I knew what I needed to do, but it still requires you to be able to time the shots correctly, which I find incredibly satisfying. 

Also, more so than any other Mega Man game, MM9 fucks with you. Big Time. It sucks and is kinda cheap. But the way they designed the game so that you will fail, it's been hilarious. Those deaths albiet cheap, I have no control over. 

The only thing I am a little disappointed about this game is the music. The game has some great songs for the 8 robot stages, but the Wily stages have been a little...meh.

One of the reasons I think this game has been so great for me is that there really hasn't been a Mega Man game like this in 15 years. There were complaints about wanting a more vibrant graphical MM game. Afterplaying  last night, I'm not sure if that's what I would want. It was jarring at first, but I can now fully appreciate Mega Man 9 for its fast paced gameplay. 

Now, I'm just looking forward to Round 2,

David

"Star Wars: Old Republic" - What Does Nick Think?

This week marks the announcements of one of the industry's worst kept secrets. Bioware and Lucas arts have collaborated again to bring players an MMO like no other, "Star Wars: Old Republic". That's right, this game is the successor to two of the most popular RPG's to grace gaming consoles ever; KOTOR (Knights of the Old Republic) and KOTOR 2. Bioware has had a soft spot in my heart for some time now and there is no developer that I would trust more with an MMO outside of Blizzard. It seems that the stars have aligned and all of this information has began to flood in and cause immeasurable levels of anticipation inside of me. In fact today, I found out that an old high school friend of mine is actually a concept artist at Bioware now and is in fact working on "The Old Republic". There really isn't many hard facts about the game but I know enough to at least give our readers my opinions.

As of right now, I don't dabble very much in the MMO genre. For some reason, I just can't get my interest to stick. Final Fantasy XI is by far my game of choice and I really can't get behind World of Warcraft. I know... it's nuts. So why am I actually excited about a new MMO then? Bioware has a reputation for quality and tends to do things a lot differently than other developers. In addition to the name behind the game, Star Wars in general is one of my most beloved IP's of all time and is probably the most well suited Universe for an MMO because of it's rich history and over abundance of quality content.


The Star Wars Universe is so rich with content that it is almost impossible to imagine this game being bad. The idea of being able to travel from planet to planet and across the galaxy with other players seems almost too good to be true. The movies alone have introduced a large number of different planets, creatures, races, and technologies to make an MMO by themselves. What many people may not realize is just how huge the actual universe is. Between the novels, TV shows, animated movies, and comic books, the Universe is expanded 100 fold! The fact is that Bioware has an unlimited source of content to pull ideas from and make one hell of a killer game here. Even after launch, there will probably be enough remaining Canon to create expansion packs for years to come.

Despite my obvious excitement, I am very disappointed that we won't be seeing a direct follow up to KOTOR 2 running on the Mass Effect engine anytime soon. It hurts me right down to my core but somehow, Bioware has made it alright. I can still remember when Lucas Arts announced "Star Wars Galaxies" for the PC and the excitement that I felt when I thought about being able to explore a giant, open universe with thousands of other players. Then came the reality and it hit me like a ton of bricks. The game suffered from balance issues, bugginess, and lack of quest content. This was a real shame because it is obvious that the Star Wars Universe is expansive enough to become an incredible MMO. Bioware has hopefully given us the answer and is about to show the world that WoW is not the only quality MMO on the market.

One of the most important aspects that you will probably notice immediately is the game's stylized graphics. Rather than striving for an ultra realistic look to the game, the developer chose to make their game fall somewhere in the middle. The visuals appear somewhat real but somewhat cartoony at the same time. This was an intention decision that was made to make it more appealing to a wide audience and to make the game less demanding on the players rig. In short, this equals more players and less system problems. This is definitely one page that I think Bioware is taking from Blizzard's play book. Part of the reason that WoW is so successful is its style and accessibility.


So what exactly do we know so far? We do know that the game will be based around moral choices and that you will not be forced to choose whether to play as good or evil right from the get go. In fact, as the game progresses, players actions will mold whether or not they are considered good or evil regardless of whether or not they are playing as a Jedi or a Sith. While Galaxies suffered from balance issues due to the over population of Jedi's, Old Republic stands to learn from that mistake. This is a universe where Jedis and Sith are common. In addition to the two primary jobs, there have been hints as to the other jobs or classes that you may undertake. To avoid speculation, I will wait to comment on these until they are made official.

Story is also a very important aspect of any game that I play. This one reason that I can't seem to get into MMO's. Due to the continuous nature of the genre, a good, solid narrative never seems to be told. Bioware seems adamant that Old Republic will include a deep and engaging story line unlike any that you have ever seen in an MMO. Don't get me wrong, I am very skeptical of this but then again, it is Bioware and they know how to present a story. This is one aspect I really can't wait to hear more about.

As for actual gameplay details, not much is known at this time. The purpose of the Lucas Arts event the other day was to reveal to the world the game's existence and show off a teaser trailer to wet peoples appetites. We can however confirm that there will PvP, guilds, and crafting (designing a lightsaber perhaps??). While these details have been confirmed, Lucas Arts provided no in depth information on any of these aspects. They also did not reveal a release date, a level cap, a list of races, or even a concrete business model. Don't fret though, this game is coming and it may be the game that actually draws me into the addictive world of MMO's. Only time will tell.

I'm sure "Star Wars: The Old Republic" will be a big topic of discussion on this weeks podcast so be sure tune in later this week!

-Nick

Podcast #85 - Post TGS Impressions

Here it is real quick. 

Show 085 - Post TGS Impression [Download]

More to come...

Thanks,

David

Portal: Still Alive (and staying that way)

So, I love Portal. In fact I recently named it my number 20 on my list of greatest games ever on our recent Top 5 Weekly Podcast. [Download]. Portal: Still Alive is the recent Xbox Live, 15 dollar re-release of Portal with quite a bit of extra puzzle content. You can not buy this release in stores, and you can not buy the extra content for Portal if you already own it on The Orange Box on consoles. I could give a shit about the fact that I already owned the original game. Still Alive was 15 dollars, and I wanted GLaDOS on my hard drive.

Oh wait... 629 MB? No thanks. At any given time I have about 2-3 gigs free on my 20 gig hard drive, and I refuse to play 150 dollars just to be able to freely download these games without worrying about space. But yeesh, my Xbox hard drive isn't my only worry.

The PSP also looks like it is trying to make the full transition to a download only handheld. Sony announced that next year all PSP retail releases will also be downloadable. This is a HUGE step towards the future of game content delivery; and honestly, having my entire game collection in my pocket sounds like an amazing feat.

Sony has also recently(finally...) patched Playstation Store functionality into the PSP; and having access to the sleek store on-the-go is definitely cool. I was looking at all the games I could be playing in minutes without ever having to lift my ass off the couch when I ran into the problem. While I ultimately made a purchase, it might have literally been the smallest game (in memory size) on the entire list.

The fact that I had to take into consideration the size of the game before I made my purchase is the problem. I had never had to consider anything but the quality and price of a game before. I want Portal: Still Alive. I want to buy some of those downloadable PSP games. I know they are good and I know I can afford them. But it's a brave new world out there and I'm peeing my pants a little.

Now I understand that in the near future hard drive space will be a non issue. They will become cheaper and larger much faster than the speed at which games increase in size. But right now? Yeah... it's a problem.

Brad

Hi, My Name Is David

My name is David. I am part of the 4PlayerPodcast. You may remember me from clips such as...

David vs Rex


Raiden + The Fury


E3 Press Conference


Project M Teaser


It's been a while since I've been on the feed for a long period of time so I just thought I'd let you know I'll be playing this weekend while Brad is out of town. Friday Night I'll be playing Mega Man 9. I should be able to finish it tonight see as how I'm done with the 8 regular bosses and am now going against Dr. Wily. I'll also probably be playing Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia during Saturday afternoon. And then we'll make a return for online night on Sunday around 8 or 9 PM. I'll be playing GTA IV for the XB360 online with members of the community. I've taken some time away from the game to create a game to play within the framework of GTA Online. I'll need a handful of people to test out the game and see if the rules I came up will work or if they will be exploited. If you're interested,

You can email me at davidliao@4playerpodcast.com,
Make the subject title "GTA IV Online Night 10/26"
Please give me your JTV chat name and your XBLA gamertag
If you are choosen, I will then email you back time and details.

Also, if there is time after GTA, I will be playing Rock Band 1/2 and possibly Guitar Hero online.

Thanks,
David

We'll see you this weekend.

A Boy & His Eye Toy

4PP Artist and Videographer Mike Azzato recently bought a Playstation Eye for use with Little Big Planet coming out on PS3. He started messing with it and some of the neat effects you're able to create. I took these videos off his PS3 so you could see what he was able to do.

Stop Motion with the Playstation Eye


Ripple Effect with the Playstation Eye


Thanks Mike,
David

It's Officially F***tober

After a week of absolute hell in school, I am finally free to play a few games. This is good because this is the first official week of the fall lineup and I have no idea how I am going to finish all these games. This week has been absolutely crazy! So many games have been released and the ones that I have picked up have me so damn excited I can't contain myself! So here is my week in a nutshell:

-I am still playing through Dead Space. School has prevented me from making any progress but I finally will have the time to finish the game over the weekend. I am still very impressed with the game and am totally thrilled to have a new, outstanding horror IP to follow. What's even more interesting is that Shane Bettenhausen started a rumor that game began as a System Shock (which EA happens to own the rights to) title! Anyways, the game is still fantastic and I can't wait to finish it up this weekend. Expect my final impressions on this weeks podcast and my full review to hit the site sometime next week.

-I picked up Fable 2 on day 1 and it has been sitting on my shelf taunting me. I refuse to be affected by the negativity towards this game from Brad and David. The first game was not perfect but it had so much charm and uniqueness to its art design and moral choices that I really couldn't help but be sucked into the games universe. I have not yet played Fable 2 but the game has definitely been getting some respectable reviews and most people seem to be happy with the final product. Hell, the reviews even made Molyneux happy! Expect my impressions as soon as I get a chance to start it up.

- I picked up Far Cry 2 today for the PS3 and am also very pumped to start this game. The open world map is what sealed the deal for me. I love big, beautiful worlds because they are easily the most ambitious ways to show off a games art style. I am worried that the Malaria infection will annoy me but I still look forward to hunting down the Jackal.

- Unfortunately, Spider-man Web of Shadows has been receiving a lot of negative buzz which has influenced my decision to wait on this game. I will probably pick it up at a later date....

-Thats quite all right though, I received my beta key for Resistance 2 and it is downloading as I type this post. Hopefully I can get some time in on Resistance 2 in time for the next podcast!

Its starting to get good. Expect my initial impressions of the KOTOR MMO announcement tomorrow night!

-Nick

Fable 2...You Almost Had Me

It's been a while since I had such an up and down situation with a game. I've been going back and forth on buy this game since the beginning of the year. First off, I wasn't a big fan of the first game. I've known of Peter Molyneux and his "promises" before so I approached the situation very cautiously. I began to hear about the scar system and having a pet companion. The introduction of Co-Op mode and the ability to start a family had me intrigued. I began my toying with the thought to pick up the game. This was the reason I decided to pick up the game.

The Box art is fantastic. Love the style, the character, and even the font. Add Co-Op and I was ready to give Molyneux a chance.


Then came the circus. Fable was finished. It wasn't finished. It was going to make the date. It wasn't going to. Pub games was released. It sucked. It had glitches. People were going to be punished for exploiting that crap. It was on purpose, kinda. The collector's edition was going to have this or that. Things were removed because of whatever problems. More things were removed. Molyneux rated his own game. It was too high. It was too low. Co-op was not going to make it on the disc.

Right here is when I decided not to get the game. The only real game mechanic that I was interested in and it wasn't going to make the Street Date. F' That. I'm out.

Then they announced it would make street date but in the form of a patch. I'm still out.

Then I saw the Fable 2 Limited Edition Guide Art.

Crap, I'm back in again. I think. Shit, I don't know. I'm so confused.

So in this moment of uncertainty. I decided to sit on it. I waited and talked with friends I knew who had picked up the game. This is what I've gotten.

Co-Op screws up Fable 2. You share one camera view in Co-Op mode. Not just off of one console but System Link and Online Mode too. You both have control over the camera and are constantly trying not to be a nuisance to the other. If you play Online, you cannot see when the other person goes into a story sequence. This means if player one is talking to an NPC, player two just sits there on a paused screen until player one is finished. Finally, you can exploit getting in trouble in town by selecting community service missions and just never doing them.

So I'm done with buying this game. I am officially scratched off the list. Outside of actual game problems, I've heard that some of the Limited Editions didn't even include the in game items that were promised. Some packaging error. Also certain retail managers were promised signed by Molyneux copies of Fable 2. Seeing as how for a certain video game retail chain, there are well over five thousand stores, I wonder if Molyneux will ever be able to deliver on those as well.

I can't stand hype. Some say, there is no negative press. That any attention is good and in this case, help sell more copies of the game. I'm thinking that Fable 2 is selling really well. It's one of those training wheel RPGs that fun and interesting enough that anyone can play. I hope it does well and that people enjoy it, but I'm really impartial to how well it sells. It won't effect me at all. Emotionally, I don't care. But more importantly, I'm not spending the money on this game. And probably not on the next Molyneux game either. But I guess we'll have to see on the next one.

This one is a Pass,
David

Spider-man: Web of Shadows

Spider-man is back everyone. Web of Shadows was quietly released yesterday. There wasn't too much buzz behind the game and this was backed up by the amount of pre-orders and copies we received at work. The game is sporting a new fluid combat system. This will hopefully clean up the lackluster fighting sequences in the spider-man series, which are also so very common in movie licensed games.

So in honor of his return, here is a tribute to the Amazing Spider-Man.



I miss Matt,
David

Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams Teaser in High Def

Its 1 in the morning and I am tired and frustrated with school! I can't stop thinking about how bad I want to get to work on my Journalism degree so I can finish school forever and then work on getting paid to write about games! But unfortunately for me, i'm stuck here. Sitting on my bed working on a project with my PS3 and Dead Space mere feet away. I was in a shitty mood.... until I watched the Bioshock 2 trailer again... and again. It may be a teaser but when that oldies music kicks in, the first game came rushing back to me and I almost ca... anyways. The teaser trailer is now available in high definition direct feed so check it out. I should hopefully be back to my usual posting routine tomorrow night. Thanks for bearing with me. Dead Space.. how I miss thee.

P.S. FUCK! FABLE 2 calling to me! SHUT UP U BASTARD!

-Nick

Heroes, No More!

A big surprise at this year's Tokyo Game Show was the announcement for the sequel to this January's No More Heroes for the Wii. When I heard about it, I was not surprised. It's not that I was expecting it. The announcement came totally out of the blue for me. If anything I was more surprised that sales for the game were good enough for the first one to garner a sequel. 

My feelings about the No More Heroes 2 was more of disappointment. I love SUDA-51. He's a different kind of game designer. He's way out in left field and often times this leads to his games' sales numbers not being up to par with the critical success from reviews. This is exactly why I'm not falling out of my chair waiting for NMH2. The story, controls, and gameplay through the first game were solid even though it had very obvious faults. It's charm, style, and uniqueness carried it beyond it's problems and made it easier to overlook it's shortcomings. 

Now you have a sequel coming out. The controls will be a little less interesting. The character design a little less stylish. The gameplay a little less fresh. And the experience a little less ground breaking. And unless there are dramatic upgrades to the package, this game will essential be just a story change sequence. 

Sequels are the plague of the video games and movie industries. They are the safe easy bet. Game developer's grow lazy because of reliance on sequels and I'd hate to see it happen to a game that I really like and care about. While I don't expect a game developer to make every game a new original title or IP, I do believe there should be a time frame before you're allowed to start on a sequel that allows game players to let the experience be digested and expelled from their minds. That way when an appropriately timed sequel does come out, it will feel a bit newer and allow time to work it's magic. So on a personal note, I'm hoping this announcement is just a little early and that the game takes a while to be released. If we see NMH2 out before next Christmas, I'll be a little upset about the events. If they want to make a sequel it's fine. I think there's a proper way to do it and if done incorrectly it can ruin a franchise. I'm looking for Grasshopper Manufacture to take their time with this one, even though I have a feeling they won't.

From SUDA fan #22,

David

Holy S*#&! Alan Wake is Real!!!

Don't close the window folks, your eyes are not deceiving you! After 2 years of absolutely no news what so ever, Remedy has revealed a new cinematic Trailer for their highly anticipated horror title, Alan Wake. This game has always left me a weird taste in my mouth because the game's aesthetic reminds me so much of Alone in the Dark but this new trailer surprised me. This game looks good. I figured that after two years of no footage, the game would pop back into the lime light looking like ass. Of course, this is all cinema and no gameplay so it could still fall apart but I think the game has definitely found its way back onto my radar.

-Nick

Star Wars: The Old Republic MMO Revealed

Never have I been so proud to be an "Austinite". Right here in my home town, Bioware is hard at work developing the long awaited KOTOR MMO which has probably become one of the worst kept secrets ever. After months of speculation, Bioware revealed the first details on the game at an event in San Francisco today. I apologize for the lack of details in this post because I am just squeezing this in between projects. You can expect plenty of impressions as the week progresses and more details are revealed. For now however, just relish in the fact that we now know the game exists and it looks like it just might be glorious enough to give World of Warcraft a run for its money.

-Nick

Cover Art Comparison - Valkyria Chronicles

I think both are really great covers for an extremely cool looking and inevitably under appreciated strategy rpg coming out for the PS3 next month. Much like Disgaea 3, this is yet another quality exclusive title for the PS3 that is going ignored. These are the kinds of exclusives that made PS2 such a great console. I guess no one cares anymore.

I give the edge to the US version of the cover since it featured that awesome blue haired lady I'm so interested it. I don't know what it is... she just has this quality about her...




Brad

How come no one is talking about Red Faction: Guerrilla?

Man this game was fun. Red Faction 3 has zero hype but the multi-player was extremely fun. Sad thing is I think the beta ended due to inactivity.

This game on anyone's radar?


Brad

Extra Life Marathon was a huge success!

We ended up raising over 2,000 dollars for Texas Children's Hospital!! We never expected you guys would come thought like you did. I want to thank everyone who donated and the people who showed their support even if it wasn't monetary. Also thanks to Juan, Mike, and Sandra for showing up at 4Player Podcast headquarters to play some games and just hang out with all of us. A very special thanks to Nobunaga who showed up to play Halo 3 for an hour after we hit 2,000 dollars. Also thank you to every mod involved in the craziness. Without you guys, it would have been pure chaos in there. (And thanks smdcbeta11 for the awesome pic.)

And here are two clips from the biggest scare of the night. One is the gameplay on screen and the other was from the night vision cam we had set up on another channel.





And here is the great Nobunaga:

Watch live video from 4PlayerPodcast on Justin.tv


Thanks

Brad

Extra Life Marathon Begins @ Midnight!

So the Extra Life Marathon is about to begin at midnight! If you are just joining us, click the link below the video windows below to go straight to our chat room! For those who don't know, we are participating in a 24 hour marathon of gaming that benefits the Texas Children's Hospital! Come on in and participate, donate some money, or just show your support! It's gaming for a good cause!

Watch live video from 4PlayerPodcast on Justin.tv

If for some strange reason, you want to watch us instead of the games, click the link below this window!
Watch live video from rockliao's channel on Justin.tv

If you would like to make a donation, follow this link!
Make a Donation!

Thanks,
4 Player Podcast

Podcast 84 Uploaded

Podcast 84 is up and ready for [Download]

The next show will be recorded tomorrow after the Extra Life Marathon. 

Thanks,

David

Extra Life Charity: Tentative Schedule

Hey guys,

I can't believe it's already almost the 18th. It feels like only a couple days ago that we just signed up for the Extra Life Charity and I was making plans to go to E For All and TGS. Time really does fly. We started broadcasting in February just by setting up a dinky camera. We enjoyed it and now, here we are 10 months later and we're doing things like Charity Marathons. On Top of that, we possibly might hit 3 Millions views during the Marathon. I don't know how that happened, but it would kinda seems fitting if the two occasions would meet up. 

So first off, thanks everyone. Our regulars every night. Thanks. The people who used to tune in and have moved on. Thanks. Any Newcomers. We appreciate you stopping by. And especially thanks to our moderators. They don't have the most glamourous job and have to deal with all the crap that happens in chat, but it's the most essential part of why we're able to broadcast every night. So again especially thanks for the mods.

So we'll try to make tonight as amazing as possible. Not everyone could make it off work to be here the entire 24 Hours, but there will always be at least 2 of us at all times. Here are the approximate times we'll be here and what games to expect from us.

[Nick] Afrika, Fatal Frame 3, Call of Cthulu (12:01-05:00 am)

[Travis] PaperMario, JetForceGemini, BanjoTooie (12:01-09:00 pm)

[David] Onimusha 2 (6:00-11:00 am)

[Brad] Dead Space (6:00-11:59 pm) 

Brad and I live here so, we'll always be around. Mike, Sandra, and Juan are also scheduled to be here playing something as well. 

After the Extra Life Marathon, Brad, Nick and I will record Podcast #85. So if you've got any energy left, drop by. If not you can always download it later. 

Check back later today for more updates.

David

Extra Life charity marathon... TONIGHT!

Tonight starting at midnight, David, Travis, Nick, and I (Brad), will all be here live on Justin.tv! We will be here playing games as a part of the Extra Life charity event to raise money for Texas Children's Hospital. Click the link to see who all will also be participating. Electronic Arts, Best Buy, and Codemasters, have also all decided to donate and match dollar by dollar all donations raised up to a point. 100% of the proceeds raised during this event go directly to Texas Children's Hospital. Texas Children's Hospital will use this money continue their research efforts in finding a cure for pediatric cancer and other pediatric diseases.

You can donate via credit card or Pay Pal located here on our fundraiser page. 4Player Podcast has already raised over 1,200 dollars, but we would like to hit our goal of 1,500 during the event!

SO... starting at midnight tonight on our live feed, we will be playing games for 24 hours non-stop. Expect a more detailed schedule posted later today, but I for one have agreed to play through Dead Space in its entirety. Juan, Mike, and Sandra should also be stopping by to show their support and play something. I think Nick might be finishing up Fatal Frame 3 and/or Call of Cthulhu as well.

Even if you cannot donate, be there tonight and tomorrow to show your support!


Brad

Top 10 Girls of TGS 2008

So if you read my Secret of Japan post, you know my opinion of Japanese Girls. TGS had it's fair share of lovely ladies and I decided to share with you guys how overwhelmed by cute girls I was. 

The consideration for this list was across multiple categories. First I looked out the outfit. You'll find no Tecmo Lingere girls here. I looked for the best looking uniforms and how they matched the girl's personality. There's a certain type of girl I admire. Personality, attitude, and enthusiam play a big part. These are people trying to keep spirits up and attract visitors to come to their booth. Finally, I think I've got a keen eye for cuteness. So the final factor was just my personal attraction to them.

Honorable Mention 2

Auu Booth:

I couldn't get a picture of the actual girl. She was busy helping people and declined a picture. The girl I saw could had Top 5 potential. The theme was for like a Train Conductor, hence the cute looking hat. It's too bad you couldn't see the girl. It makes me feel like a better person just having that over you guys.

Honorable Mention 1

Namco Bandai Booth:

Again, the girl declined a picture. Namco Bandai was extremely picky about pictures of their booth and employees. But you can see the uniform they wore. It's very simple with just a few colors. There's the Namco Bandai Logo right below the neck. The girl had potential to be my number one, but no picture. Thanks Namco Bandai. I also attribute this to my uncanny ability to pick extremely cute and shy girls. The girl was soo shy, she declined to be taken a photo of. 

Number 10 (Girl on Left)

TOMY Booth:

Tomy is a publisher of licensed anime games. They had a booth at TGS. The outfits are cute and I like the color. Along with the big white belt, what can I say, I like accessories. I would have taken a picture just of the girl herself, but I couldn't ask the others to please NOT be in the picture. Plus, the more the merrier. 

Number 9

Marvelous Booth:

I really liked the outfits at the Marvelous Booth. Orange is a great color and the jacket does wonders. I could do without the pink hat that they were passing out, but overall a great showing from a smaller publisher.

Number 8

Microsoft Booth:

Microsoft had a great showing in Japan where they have basically gotten no love. I think Japan is slowly opening up to the thought of a non-Japanese Console maker. Microsoft kept a little of their Western style at their booth and of course in their booth ladies. The pigtails and hat were unique to Xbox. It was a little risque with the bikini top and open jacket but it went with the style and the company. White and green are standard colors for the 360 so no big surprise there.

Number 7

Konami Booth:

Right after meeting Igarashi, I took this picture. One of the few good things about Konami was their booth ladies. Kind of resembling a nurses outfit, Konami kept it simple with a smile, a fantastic combination. 

Number 6

From Software Booth:

There wasn't really too much exciting going on at From Software's booth. Ninja Blade and Tenchu for Wii weren't exactly the crowd drawing powerhouses that they wanted. I'm not a huge fan of wigs but the young lady was able to pull it off they well. This was the only dark uniform on my list and it fit well because of the light colored hair. 

Number 5

Sega Booth:

Nothing was bigger than Yakuza at Sega's Booth. But they had a lot of crap around to weigh things down. Movie games, rehashes, and Sonic all but killed everything else. Luckly they had the best uniforms of the entire show. They have the Classic Sega colors and a simple design, but then they go and throw everything out the window by putting that little blue pouch on the belt. I actually asked the girl to turn the other way so that I could make sure to get it in the picture.  Outstanding@!

Number 4

Electronic Arts Booth:

EA, with stuff like Need for Speed, I was worried they might go and do something outrageous and tacky. A long skirt and quirky color design really had me surprised. I talked to this girl for a while trying to explain that I wanted to take a picture of her and not of the booth. After spending 10 or so minutes helping me get permission from the higher ups to take pictures of the booth, she seemed flattered and embarrassed when it turned out that it was her picture I was interested in the whole time. *Sigh* *Cute*

Number 3

Capcom Booth:

Easily the best booth of the entire show. This uniform is the most revealing on my list, but I let it slide because the girl's aura was enchanting. Plus she's wearing a scarf. She was all ready to hand out trailer disks but instead stole my heart. I love Capcom. 

Number 2

Level-5 Booth:

Out of all the booths at TGS, this is one, I spent the least time at. The demos were all in Japanese. White Knight shown only behind closed doors. The Ghibili project, vague details. But the girls were out there bringing plenty of attention. Great colors and the colored tie on the neck, Wow! And don't forget the knee high socks. You can't see from the picture but the awesome Level-5 logo is printed on her shirt. Uh, look closely?

Number 1

iRem Booth:

Who? Exactly. Besides the Earthquake simulator what did this company have...The Girl of the Show. I never saw a girl had out so many flyers. She ran out 4-5 times in the 10 minutes I was in line at the booth next door. An active looking outfit with latches, straps, and a pouch on the back. I couldn't get over her smile, so I asked her for a picture. After that about 20 people followed a suit. What can I say? I've got a talent for picking the good ones. 

Final Thoughts:

There were some great showings from the smaller Publishers. A few of the companies went all out with the hoochiness trying to get people's attention, but this reporter didn't fall for it. I stuck with simplicity instead of getting wrapped up in bare midrift and shortness of skirts. Honestly, if you've seen one, the rest of them aren't exactly head turners anymore. You may be wondering where Sony and SquareEnix were on this list, but like their showing at TGS, they were kind of no shows. I did think Sony's wasn't too bad, but no pictures. Sorry!