Introducing the "4PP Game Club Podcast"

If you tuned in to last nights podcast recording, we spilled the beans on a side project that I have been working on, a new podcast that will debut in early 2009. So here are the first details and I need your help... that's right, YOU! This new podcast will be in the same vein as our "Dinner-time" or "Top 5" pocasts but will be recorded at the beginning of each month starting in January. Each "Game Club" podcast we record will be centered around a single, pre-determined game that all 3 (or 4) of us will play. All of the games will have some merit and be important to the industry in some way so expect the discussions to be in depth and interesting. So this is where you guys come in, this is a game club and all 4PP listeners are automatically members! There will be a segment in the podcast where I will read pre-chosen emails from listeners with thoughts, stories, or opinions related to the game being discussed. This will allow our listeners to be a part of the show and help further our discussions. So with that said, allow me to introduce the first episode of the "Game Club" which we will record in the first few weeks of January:
"Oddworld: Strangers Wrath" for the Xbox will be the focus of our first episode. We will be playing this throughout December and early January so keep your eyes peeled for that. So here is what I need from you guys. If you have a thought, story, or question regarding any aspect of "Strangers Wrath", send me an email at: Nickhenderson@4playerpodcast.com.

Emails should include the following:

Subject: Game Club: Oddworld
Your name:
Location:
JTV name:

[message]

I will be accepting emails all the way through December and will send an email to anyone whose message is chosen to be read on the show. I apologize ahead of time to anyone who is not picked, I don't know how many emails to expect and there are only so many messages we can read and respond to on a one hour show. Every email is appreciated and I intend to acknowledge everyone who sends me an email. I will be posting some reminder posts a few times in December to remind everyone. I can't wait to play this game and record the first show and hear what everyone has to say about it! My copy is already in the mail!

Thanks,
Nick

Quotes from a message board - Volume 1

GameFAQs/Sonic Unleashed

Actual quotes:

Which makes me wonder, if most reviewers loved God of War, why are they poo-pooing the werehog stages so much?

**** the critics. Sega made an engine more powerful than Ferrari.

One of the greatest games you'll ever play! Sonic is back in action, and shining bright!

I think Sega should put up a case against them. (to IGN)

They overdo their criticizing. Seems fun to me, so I'll be picking up the PS3 version later

$20.95 on Amazon

This..is..the..best..game..i..have...ever..played!!

I love it true! One of the best games to come out in YEARS! (Sonic or not)

I would like to slap the critics in the face for the bashing they have given this game.

Do not listen to critics and do not pay attention to the stupid reviews they gave about this game because all the major sites like GAME RANKINGS.com and 1up.com have there pockets full of gold right now and you know why they have full pockets of gold , because they gave Sonic Unleashed a total average of 6.3 ranking.

I tell you guys that if you are a sonic fan or not, this game is a perfect game for all the gamers out there.It has the better graphics then any other xbox360 games, it has speed,
it has the best playbility a gamer could ever hope for, a very good story and many many more and also it is the best game for sonic fans.

Where does this take place in the Sonic Timeline?

And I saw a link to most important petition ever: http://www.petitiononline.com/sunleash/



Looks like they finally made that Sonic game everyone was waiting for. ??


(edit) Please really think about these quotes before you guy buy this game.


Bread

The Lost Adventures of 1HP David

Not bad,

Brad

025 - Top 5 Games We Wish We Spent More Time Playing 2008

Here's the new Top 5 recorded last night. Brad, Nick, and myself go over the

025 - Top 5 Games We wish We'd Spent More Time Playing in 2008 [download]


Thanks,
David

I Need More Time

I'm in love with Chrono Trigger. I'm nearing the end of the game. I'm not sure if I'm flying through it because it's actually that good and holds up so many years later or if it's because the nostalgia is that powerful. Honestly the combat is a little frustrating. These old RPGs always feel so tiresome and drawn out. I'm not all that attached to the characters. I love them for who they are, but they're pretty stereotypical as far as video game characters.

So what is it about this game that I love so much. What is it that stood up so well over time? Exactly that. Time. I've never played a game that has used the concept of time so well. Your actions in the past effect events in the future. Not only do you have to worry about what you're currently doing, but you also have to consider you actions on a different plane. The thing is, in Chrono Trigger, it's a scharade. You're not actually messing with things and having them change the future. It only looks that way. It's just a mission based RPG. Complete this mission to open up this next one. The fact that they uses different time periods instead of just different locals. That's what makes it fresh and interesting. When you really strip it down, it's just a standard RPG.

Now what do I want. I want a game that actually has time travel. Whether or not this will actually work out, I don't know. It's a very hard mechanic to design seeing as how there are so many unknowns and game breaking opportunities. I'm very surprised that someone hasn't tried to just use the Chrono Trigger formula since then. Maybe it's such a unique difference that any attempt to recreate it would be considered copying.

Now how would you make an actual Time Travel game?
David

Motion = Better?

From my experience with the Wii, I think there developed a thought process that Motion means a better game. I've seen it from customers trying to choose between a Wii version and a Xbox 360 version of a game. They look at the two only really seeing the box art. They maybe look at the price and then come up and ask me which version would be the better. I usually tell them that the 360 version will look a lot better, include online play, and possibly other improvements due to more powerful hardware. I shit you not, a majority of the time, they look at me and say "But doesn't the Wii have motion controls?"

It's like motion controls is a big deciding factor in their minds. Maybe it is a big factor. That's the hurdle that has kept so many people away from video games. Sure it's easy for "us" to understand controllers and the multiple buttons. Motion controls are a great supplement when done right. But there are two things with that statement. It's a supplement, it adds to the gameplay experience and is not the focus. Second, when done right. A majority of the time, it is not. Who knows if it ever will be.

Wii Motion-Plus is nowhere to be seen. It definitely won't make it out this holiday season. I guess Nintendo is spreading their titles out. We've seen them do this with their past consoles. They like to come up with a handful of great ideas and then time release them so they have the entire year covered. The only problem this time is that they have really mediocre ideas and none directed towards the "core."

My problem is that I have too much Hope. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt and let them turn it around. It's a character strength/flaw I've had since I can remember. Nintendo has been on my support list since the N64. I wouldn't say it is pure fanboyism, just a way I choose to look at the world. I'm not asking you to try to convince me or change my perspective. I'm a pretty stubborn guy and I'd rather look at things this way. It's just in these darker times, we have to huddle together, find other people who believe things will get better, and somehow turn those feelings into reality.

Always hopeful, always waiting,
David

Wii Friend Code = Perfection

It keeps us from situations like this.

I've heard people complain so much about the Friend Code System. How much of a hassle it is. How ridiculous it is. How it limits online game playing. I'm not going to argue that it's a good system for promoting online play. But for what they are trying to do, it's the best solution.

The point is it's not meant for us, the game players. The people who are old enough to go out and meet people on their own, we get exposed to worse stuff every day. The internet is impossible to censor. There's just too much information and too much going on. So how do you make an online experience where you're trying to cut out as much offensive conversation as possible. By making it so that you can only play with people you know.

This isn't a problem for me. Honestly I don't like playing online, especially with random strangers. Also I'm not big on versus. I'm a competitive person and their are a lot of cheaters online. This makes the experience rather....not fun.

You have to remember. There are a lot of kids playing Nintendo's systems and games. The situation Nintendo is trying to avoid is having these kids be online and just running into some random, bear rolling, idolm@ster watching, holy balls screaming, nobunaga worshipper. It's not to say these people are bad or malicious, they're just on a different maturity level than the others.

You can't censor and limit what is said and who it is said to, but you can make it incredibly frustrating and as long winded as possible, eliminating a majority of the netscum. This leaves only the most dedicated players. And the most dedicated griefers.

Thanks,
David

Perhaps the greatest video game commercial ever?

Thanks for forum member drasil for sending me this link.


Brad

New IP Alert - Alpha Protocol

2009 is almost upon us. I am absolutely amazed at just how many great games were released during 2008 and it frightens me to think that 2009 could be an even bigger year for games. I already have about 8 games in my mind that I know will be picking up in the first half of 2009. Going over this list though made me realize just how many of those games are sequels or using pre-existing IP's. At this rate 2009 could be the year of the sequel but seeing a game like Alpha Protocol come along, gives me hope of seeing some truly promising IP's. Obsidian Entertainment, the studio responsible for KoToR II, is hard at work on a new espionage RPG title that seems to be an intriguing combination of Mass Effect and James Bond. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that seems awesome.
Obsidian Entertainment has extensive experience working with Bioware as a result of developing Knights of the Old Republic 2 which gives me great confidence in their ability to develop a quality action RPG. With influences like Mass Effect driving the development of Alpha Protocol, it is easy to understand my optimism and excitement. Mass Effect was easily one of my favorite games of 2007 and with no clear date set for the inevitable sequel, a game with similar structure set in a completely different universe is enough to catch my attention.
The game tells the story of Michael Thorton, a government agent who is abandoned by his superiors in the midst of a mission and is forced to use his "Alpha Protocol" as a guide to help him thwart a vast conspiracy. The premise of the story is something I find very interesting because it is reminiscent of some of the best action movies in existence today. To experience this kind of story with extensive dialogue trees and loads of RPG elements could prove to be a fresh gaming experience similar to experiences like Mirror's Edge. RPG elements are used to improve various weapons and melee combat skills which in theory, gives players the ability to choose their experience. Like other games in the genre, the developer claims to give players the choice of running and gunning or using stealth to achieve their objectives. While this concept is certainly nothing new, giving players the ability to use charisma and other skills to find alternative paths to the ultimate destination is something that could add variety to the game play and reduce the threat of repetition. If the game can prove to be a memorable and lengthy experience with solid game play, Alpha Protocol could be a great new IP in 2009.

There has not been a lot of details revealed yet but as the game approaches its February release, I will continue to bring my thoughts and impressions.

-Nick

Where Will You Be Tomorrow?

So tomorrow is the infamous "Black Friday", a day that we endure every single year in which millions of people drag their ass out to their favorite retailers at 4 in the morning to try and get their grubby little mits on some cheap, big-ticket items. I myself, have to work at 7 in the morning so I am currently preparing myself to endure the thousands of inevitable "Wii system" and "Wii Fit" customers as they bombard the store at ungodly hours. Don't get me wrong, i'm not bitter, in fact I usually enjoy working on this day but I can't help but feel like it gets crazier and crazier each year. I also realize that I could be out shopping for stuff myself! So here is the question, what deals will 4PP followers be trying to get their hands on tomorrow? Seriously people, I want to spend some money tomorrow! Tell me what you have your eye on and where it can be found?

-Nick

New Podcast Available for Download!

Here's the latest show we recorded. We go over our impressions of the Zelda Marathon and Left 4 Dead.

090 - The Zelda Race Wrap Up [download]

or Subscribe to our podcasts on itunes! It's free and will update every week when the new show is posted.




Thanks,
Nick

What's the big deal?

Come on. Seriously? Why are we all still worried about Zelda: OOT? There is little evidence to support the fanboy claims of it being the best Zelda, so why do we keep bitching about it?
Why is Mario 64 still the best 3D Mario?
Banjo Kazooie?
Final Fantasy VII?
Crash?
This might be a leap, but since we are all stuck on the subject of fanboy's, their reasoning on choosing this game, and the likes, I might as well add some thought.

I believe, to an extent, that Video Games have come as far as they can go in all honesty. There is really no jump left other than virtual reality. Sure we can revamp old games, sure we can make the graphics shinier and prettier. Controls tighter. Stories more relevant to how society is today. And this is all nice, but this is no change whatsoever to the actual game and how it is perceived. One may argue that the Wii changes this, but I think Brad made a good point by saying in our last dinner time podcast how, and this is not a direct quote, the wiimote is not more of a game changing item, but a way to change how you play the same game. That makes sense. So what is there left? Nothing really.

We hold on to the games that made the most change in the industry. All fan boys are attached to something that made a difference in the gaming world. And I think the most prevalent changes are the most obvious ones. Those from 2D to 3D. While it is easy to say Nastalgia is the cause of most fan boyism, I believe it is more based on how the game that has such a group of fans has made sure its design, whether that be gameplay, graphics, or the way they tell stories, is significantly different than any predecessor.
Half-Life changed story telling
Final Fantasy, Mario, Zelda changed graphics
Castlevania: SOTN and games such as Banjo Kazooie changed gameplay.
Since these games changed the world of gaming in one way or another, they are somethings which deserved to be kept around.


Zelda: OOT is the best Zelda game. Sorry Brad. It is.
OOT Made an impact on the video game community, and how games are made.
It could easily be argued that Twilight is the better game, and why not? Because it is everything OOT dreamed of being right? No. It is the exact game as OOT, just new and shinier. It is not a game upon itself. It is OOT Reincarnate. Sure, you have wolf form, you have better graphics, the last boss fight is on a horse. All that is nice and cool and whatever... But what it comes down to is this, it held no place in anyones heart. You may deem it a superior game, but it still lacks any fan base whatsoever. It is just a sequel that no one really cared about.


A real game that deserves praise is the one that people adore for... well, ever. And the ones that do this are the ones that make significant changes. OOT.
Twilight is not this, it is OOT.
While my logic is probably a little skewed
and my thoughts a little wavy
and my paragraphs doing whatever the hell they want....
deal with it.

Where Do We Go From Here?

So apparently, this is now officially Zelda week here on "4Player Podcast" so I shall go ahead and add my 2 cents. Let me start by saying that Ocarina of Time remains my number one game of all time for a number of reasons. The games that came after Ocarina were equally as polished and brilliant but Ocarina did something special. It is a game that has taken a great leap from 2D to 3D and benefited from that leap the most. Other games have made big jumps like Metroid and Metal Gear but many of these franchises have not been received nearly as well as Zelda has. Twilight Princess was a system seller for the Wii and was equally as polished and detailed as Ocarina, if not more so. Despite the improvements that were made, people still consider Ocarina the better game, including myself. It is hard to figure out why because Twilight Princess was a longer game with more weapons, epic battles, and better controls but somehow, Ocarina still trumps it. I think it comes down to this: Ocarina of Time was an incredible change for Zelda and we won't see it surpassed until they make another huge change. I think they were going in the right direction with Wind Waker and it's a shame that they almost immediately shied away from innovation with Twilight Princess. So here is the question: Where do we go from here?

In the news this week, Eiji Aonuma, the producer of Ocarina of Time, stated that he would continue to make Zelda games until he surpassed Ocarina of Time. This is great news for the franchise because it means that the next Zelda could really blow my socks off by doing something totally outside of the box. Wind Waker demonstrated that Zelda does not have to be a game that is limited to a strict formula.

Things I learned from Wind Waker:
1.) Hyrule Field is not necessary
2.) Ocarina's are not necessary
3.) Epona is not necessary
4.) Zelda does not have to be limited to a single art style

Things I learned from Majora's Mask:
1.) Zelda is not necessary.
2.) Hyrule field is definitely not necessary... hell... Hyrule isn't necessary
3.) Ganondorf is not necessary

As you can see, a lot of the Zelda staples are simply not necessary. I think that Nintendo is holding the series back by insisting on sticking to a formula that has been proven to work. Take risks Nintendo! I want the next Zelda to think way outside the box (without making it feel like something entirely different of course; like I said, it still needs to feel like Zelda) and add some new elements that could have a chance to become staples of the Zelda series. This is why I feel that voice acting would be a huge step forward for the series if it were done right. What do you think should be changed in the next Zelda?

-Nick

Maybe we have been too hard on Nintendo with this series?

I think I'm starting to understand what has happened - why there is so much backlash for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. And I think it's unfair. Here is why.

1. Nintendo does not release these games all that often. There has still only been four 3d Zelda games since 1998. How many Tony Hawk games have come out since then? Madden? Pokemon? Look at Castlevania. Since Symphony of the Night, there have been 6 other "Metroidvanias" that critics and fans have been way more forgiving to. So why are Castlevania fans okay with this, while Zelda fans seem to being throwing the FOURTH 3d Zelda to the flames.

2. Maybe the Zelda games HAVE been different. No one will argue that Majora's Mask wasn't different enough. In a lot of ways, so was Windwaker. So now we get to the fourth game and...

3. I don't think Nintendo wanted to push the envelope with Twilight Princess. I'm convinced Twilight was intended as a spiritual remake of Ocarina of Time. It was a game Nintendo made for all those Ocarina fans that maybe didn't love certain aspects of Windwaker. The only major difference were the wolf segments, but honestly, I really feel it was just a new take on the Young Link/Old Link mechanic. But this time, they actually gave you different functionality instead of a slingshot versus a bow and arrow. Again, I really feed Okami hurt the perception of Wolf Link.

and often ignored...

4. Wii-mote functionality in Twilight Princess might be the cause of even more backlash. I think way too many people were expecting Twilight Princess to be the most different of the 3d Zeldas because of its new control style. Becuase of this, way too much emphasis was placed on how the game controlled instead of the content itself. Read the reviews. I find it disgusting just how much critics ignored the changes it made outside of controls. When people saw that the new controls were not only not all that different, but in many cases actually worse, the fans became unfairly harsh to the other content that felt the same. This is VERY similar to how Phantom Hourglass was received. Way too much backlash because of the stylus control.


Just a thought,


Brad

An Interesting Discussion Continued.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina if Time is unquestionably more important than Twilight Princess.

But when discussing which game is better, especially when the games are so similar on so many core levels, i think Twilight Princess stands true. I'm this short of writing a review for both games, but honestly, my review for Ocarina would have to focus on its importance to be fair. I really can't go back and pretend I'm a 16 again. I was an asshole PlayStation fanboy when I was 16, and my argument against Ocarina was pretty much along the lines of "It's just Mario with a sword."

So i do think it is okay to prefer the less important games. Here are some personal examples:

Tomb Raider 1 - Tomb Raider 2
Metroid - Super Metroid
Resident Evil - Resident Evil 2
The Legend of Zelda - A Link to the Past
SMB - SMB3 or SMW
Diablo - Diablo 2
Final Fantasy 7 - Final Fantasy 6
Half Life - Half Life 2
GTA3 - Vice City,SA, or GTA4

and of course
Ocarina - Twilight Princess

On the left are the games far more important. On the right are the games I feel are unquestionably better and the games I would prefer to play.

The Super Nintendo era was such an amazing example of this point. So many of the games were focused on refining a series and trying to make it perfect. While the Nintendo did some amazing things with early console 2d on the NES, you will see much more of the SNES iterations of the respective franchises in peoples top 10 "all time" lists.

Maybe now with games like Twilight Princess, Super Mario Galaxy, Resident Evil 4, and even something like the new Tomb Raider games, we are finally starting to achieve what the SNES era did with 2d. Maybe we are finally seeing perfected what was started in early 3d.

The real question? Where do we really go next?

Brad

More Importantly, IDOLM@STER!!

Here's the subtitled version of Do-Dai, the Idolm@ster song that I like so much. There's a reason why I like Japanese music so much, the lyrics! Thanks racoonboi for the link. Unfortunately it's not with my favorite singer but Azusa is still alright.

David

Ocarina of Time vs Twilight Princess

I'm trying to stay out of this argument as much as possible. I'd just like to weigh in my thoughts.

First off, Ocarina is a more important game. Hands down. It was the first translation of a Zelda game to a 3-d environment. Regardless of how they did, whether or not their could have been a better targeting system or jump button, they created a successful implementation that captured the spirit and gameplay of the series. That is why the game is important.

Does important translate to better? That's a little hard to say and also a little hard to justify. Lord Damios made a good point about technology getting better and made a comparison between a Wright Brother's Plane and a Boeing-747. One could not be made if not preceded by the other. I think that's the way we should look at Ocarina.

As far as Twilight Princess, I think it's a great game as well. The problem I have with Twilight Princess is with the lack of advancements in the series. It resembles too much of the Zelda formula. I've gotten tired of Epona. You're still meeting Gorons in the mountain regions. Zora's in the water regions. Ganon is always the main villain. And the lack of voiceacting really made the game feel like something was missing. Rewatching the clip Brad posted and then having sound effects and text while Ganondorf was talking, that's just subpar. There were changes up but I think they were too minor to actually play a part in the final decision.

The Zelda franchise is at a point where changes need to be made. Something needs to reinvented to breathe new life into the series. I think the worry here is that too much change will be made and the fans will scream bloody murder. Which of course is why my favorite 3-d Zelda is the Windwaker. But I won't go into that on this post.

We can't change the past. Games have been released. People have played them and made their opinions as so. Through the Zelda Marathon, I did come to rediscover why I did enjoy the Ocarina of Time. I think that was important for me looking towards the future of Zelda games. Again I think we're at a turning point. The next Zelda game in will ultimately decide the fate of the series. Will it try to relive all those warm memories again or will it try break them down and try to create new ones? The jump to 3-d was a piece of pie compared to the next move Nintendo is going to make and I think our efforts would be better focused on how to make the next Zelda game a masterpiece rather than focusing on which past masterpieces are more so.

Thanks,
David

My first suggestion, this guy in the next Zelda game.

Someone please explain to me why Ocarina of Time is the better 3d Zelda?

Sometimes I can understand why older games in a series can be better than its followers. A game can focus on setting, story, characters, battle mechanics, etc. These things can change dramatically with each iteration in a series. The Final Fantasy series has been know to handle change well. Metal Gear Solid has also dramatically changed over its various iterations.

What happens when a series doesn't change all that much from one game to the next? What if the setting is the same except fuller and more developed? What if the battle mechanics, camera, and control are deepened, improved, and polished? What if the story is heftier and the characters are new and refreshing? What if the dungeons and item designs are smarter and infinitely more clever? What if the boss encounters are dramatically more exciting and way more epic? What if the games difficulty and design is way more consistent? What if one game is often considered the greatest game ever made, while the other is often now overlooked? What if I asked another question?

With the exception of some very forgettable and tedious wolf segments, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is nearly better in every way than The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Why does it seem the hardcore Ocarina fans seem to ignore the very obvious questions listed above?

Blah. The answer is nostalgia and too much emphasis on the importance of the game at the time and generation of its release. So there, I answered my own question.

Yeah... the fight below is also way better than light-ball tennis and slashing at a tail a bunch.




Twilight Princess is the better Zelda game. BTW, as originally intended, I only played the Gamecube version of the game


Brad

Who is this girl?

So recently I came across this gift card. I had seen this girl before, somewhere. But where? Maybe I passed by her one day at a video game convention. Maybe I had seen her in my dreams? Maybe we were friends in another life?

Either way, I find this girl fairly attractive. The color of her shirt combined with her long hair and half smirk makes me want to play Animal Crossing with her and converse through Wii Speak.

This brings up an interesting question. We all know their purpose. These "models" are used to give off an image of the product that they are representing. We've all done it before. Bought a product because we liked the particular color or some other arbitrary characteristic. Hell, I've bought dozens of things just because I liked the cover art or the pretty anime girl on the packaging. That's what advertising does. My question is how do you avoid becoming part of the demographic they're trying to reach. Is it a case of You are a person who likes those things so they're marketing it towards you? Or is it more of Advertisers getting you to buy in to think you are that kind of person? I'm more scared of the latter because it seems the more probably answer. People want to make money and that's fine. It's when they want to make MORE money is when we run into problems.

I'll go more in depth in my next post, but for now just think about why you buy a game. The certain stereotypes game players are thought of not only as children and adults but also as guys and girls as well. There are specific things they are targeting, what are they?

Thanks for listening,
David

Also I've posted a comment as to where I've/You've seen this girl from.

Finally in his crew?

I'm not a huge Halo fan. I play and enjoy Halo multiplayer for usually about a month after their releases. I find the single player campaigns extremely forgettable as well. With that said, Halo 3 Recon is one of my most anticipated game of next year.

Why?

This guy:
So very few people could get away with sitting like this. While a lesser man would look like a complete chach in this position, Mal manages to look like a complete badass.

Malcom Reynolds is the captain of the firefly ship Serenity, and as their captain he manages to be one of the greatest television characters ever. So when I found out he will voice the squad leader in the new Halo game, I was ecstatic to know I was finally going to be in his crew. I don't care what kind of shit I get into in this game, with Mal directing me, I'm sure I will feel more than confident in my task. I just hope at some point the team is up in some sort of ship in space. Maybe taking some iffy odd jobs to survive out in the black??

I'm a little sad Nathan Fillion isn't getting more work than these days, but I'm hoping he puts forth an honest effort in this voice acting performance. Honestly... they should just let him talk like Mal.

I was going to look for some clips to prove to you how awesome this guys is. Luckily someone already made these compilations to show just that.



"You turn on any of my crew... you turn on me!" God... I hope I get to fight along side this guy.

Now we just need Adam Baldwin in there. Get on it Bungie.


Brad

Help Wanted....

Batman Arkham Asylum Debut Teaser Trailer Revealed

The Dark Knight was easily the most memorable movie going experience I have had in years. The film wowed me in so many ways and I was so excited to see another use of the Batman license announced around the time of the films release. I'll admit it, I went out and reserved this game the moment it was announced because I want it to be good. I want it to be good so badly. I know there is a good chance that it will disappoint but this new teaser looks to be a glimpse at the kind of stuff I want from this game. It's Dark. It's creepy. It's atmospheric as hell. Also, I might add that I think that bringing in Mark Hamill to reprise his role as the Joker was a very smart move. Take a peak at the new teaser trailer:



-Nick

More DinnerTime For You

Here's a newest DinnerTime Podcast recorded yesterday in between sessions of Ocarina of Time. The four of us sit together and eat some burritos from Chipotle while discussing Zelda.

011 - Chipotle Marathon [download]

Thanks again,
David

My life is amazing

We just finished up Ocarina of Time about 8:55 AM, November 22, 2008. It was a good 17ish hours. Although I came up finishing in an unoffical third, I really enjoyed it.

Project M started off with a lot of screaming, yelling, and joking. I started off into a quick lead easily finishing the Deku and Dodongo levels. Travis was able to catch up and steal Jabu-Jabu from me. Nick and Brad were trailing behind, but we all met up at the Forest Temple. It was really close but I got a few lucky breaks and was able to sneak it out. The Fire Temple found Travis way in the lead with me and Nick chasing close by. The water temple was the craziest of all as we changed leads multiple times between the four of us. From then on out it went downhill for me and Travis, Brad, and Nick were able to use their experience to build a big lead. I spent the rest of the night playing catch up to basically to no avail. Brad and Travis were just too tough and played very cleanly. I managed to catch up to Nick at the Spirit Temple, but he had to leave for work so he wasn't able to finish. I figured it'd be the right thing to do to finish up the game, so I did. Congratulations to Brad for finishing Ocarina for the First time and also to Travis who came in second. Had things gone a little different here and there, Travis may have won.

Now it's morning. I'm not really sure what to do. My body is still on a rush from playing games all night and hanging out with friend. It's also my birthday today, so I feel like it should be a day I don't waste sleeping. I don't feel like I'm 27. I don't feel like I'm getting old or not being able to do the things I used to. I'm maturing but I'm still able to be carefree and sometimes stupid. I'm finding myself doing things I never thought of doing when I was younger, ie Zelda Marathon. I feel like my life is a blank canvas, so who knows what can/will happen tomorrow. So thanks everyone who showed up, some being there all night. It was for you guys that I decided to push through and finish the game. I felt like you guys deserved my best effort. I'm a little tired now so I think I'm going to go get some breakfast. I could even go as far as to say that I have a breakfast date.

Later,
David

Zelda Marathon is Underway!

So Project M is finally going down! We just finished the Forest Temple and will be pressing on farther very shortly. Tune in and interact with us because we still have a ways to go. Thanks again for all the support! If you want to spread the word, be sure to send a link with information to some of the big blogs like Kotaku and Joystiq. Thanks!

Watch live video from 4PlayerPodcast on Justin.tv

-Nick

The Morning Of...

It's the morning of the Zelda Race. I've been up for about an hour or two reflecting on things. It's been a crazy year and a lot has happened. We've all grown tremendously. But I still get a smile when I see how much we're still the same. I'm still procrastinating like I did in college. I've got about 6 hours before the live broadcast and here I am just now starting to study. We change but we stay the same. It really is amazing how life works. Oh, since I'm the one to wake up early, here's a few pictures I took.

Brad fell asleep on the couch playing Ocarina.

Travis fell asleep in my bed with MY cuddle pillow.

Nick's such a cute kid when he's asleep.

I've gotta go get ready, so we'll see you in a few hours.
David

Setting Up For Zelda Race

We've got about 16 hours before the Zelda Race at 3 PM tomorrow. We're getting everything set up and in place. Here's a quick picture of what the set up is looking like.

We really need you guys' help spreading the word. So please help let all the blog and forums know what we're up to. There's the picture and here's the trailer if you guys want to help out.

Thanks,
David

The Excitement is Building

I have been feeling the pressure for several weeks now because of this Zelda race that begins tomorrow. I have so much experience playing this game but the truth is, it's literally been 6 or 7 years since the last time I played it. Now that I am free for the weekend, I picked up a guide and started to re-familiarize myself with the games sequence of events and layout. Surprisingly, a lot of it came back to me by just flipping through the book. My excitement and anticipation is beginning to peak now because I am remembering just how much I loved this game. Brad may hate the Z-Targeting, and I don't blame him, but the game as a whole still has this feel to it that is rare in an industry that has become cluttered with shit and disappointment. I can't wait to jump back into this game tomorrow and hopefully finish it because I am dying to experience it once more.

Zelda has been through its share of ups and downs but it has continued to hold a special place in my heart. I'll be totally honest here. I love and respect innovation just as much as the next person but Nintendo could continue to pump out Ocarina of Time/Twilight Princess clones for the rest of eternity and I would hand them my money with a smile on my face every single time. This is why Ocarina of Time remains at the number one spot on my "Top 10 Games of All Time" list. Brad's probably gonna tear me a new one for saying that but i'll stand behind this statement. The formula works well and I have no desire to see them f*** with it. The moment Zelda becomes a "multi-player co-op" game or a first person experience, is the day that I stop playing Zelda games all together.

With that said... this could be my downfall in this race:


I mean god-damn! What the hell is this thing!?!? I'm sorry Nintendo, but what the fuck were you thinking. This controller makes the Dreamcast controller seem as accessible as an XBox360 controller!

Anywho, HAPPY BIRTHDAY OCARINA!

-Nick

My New Favorite Video

If you guys are anime fans, you may have heard of ikimonogakari from thei Bleach opening HANABI. You could also have heard of them from the Naruto Shippuden opening Blue Bird. Now they're back in doing sort of a video game Mother video.

I've always liked singer Yoshioka Kiyoe. I love her voice and then you see her dressed up as a nurse, princess, newscaster, fast food worker, and in just a plain t-shirt rocker. It's just outstanding.



My Sweet Sweet Darling,
David

Cover Art Comparison - 10th Anniversery Edition

US Regular Cover

US Collector's Edition

European Cover

Japanese Cover

Personally? I think they're all overrated.



Z-Targeting was, is, and always will be..... shit.


Brad

Random Thoughts

Has anyone seen the packaging for the new Castlevania Judgement. I know the game's not going to be good but it's cover art is not bad. The character design ain't horrible either.

Metal Slug 7 is out too. The sleeve makes the game shiny. Too bad its on DS. I don't know how the heck that's supposed to work.

Another game that I love looking at the packaging, Luminous Arc 2. But why is it 39.99? It has the soundtrack, but damn they better not have charged 10 dollars more because they forced the soundtrack on you.

Lips is out. It's an iNis game. I wish there were something more to pull me in. I want to support Keichi Yano, but there's nothing much more than a kareoke game, right?

Left 4 Dead. I'll talk about it on the show this Saturday. I love it but some parts are frustrating. Last night was awesome though. JTVs archive problems are really becoming a bummer. There was this one mission where my life was dangling on one hit. I was in black in white mode for the entire last part. The 4 of us fought off multiple waves, a final wave, and also tank to finally make it to the safe room. Somehow, I didn't get touched. And just as I limped into the safe room with my comrades, a smoker grabbed me and pulled me into the darkness. My efforts and my life flashed before my eyes. My teamates rushed out and unbelievably were able to free me without any damage. It was an amazing feeling as I stumbled to safety still shaking from the situation. I could never reenact that situation. It's one of those things that happen and then you tell stories about later. It sucks that the archives weren't there to capture it. But again that's why we do a live show. Anything can happen.

I'm off to work,
David

Episodes 88 & 89 Actually Up Now...

Due to a small miscommunication, the last two podcasts, episodes 88 & 89 are now available for download on itunes! Sorry about this guys. If you haven't already, subscribe to the show on itunes and it will automatically download whenever the new show is made available. Also, I ask that everyone leave us a review on itunes. We would love to hear your input on what we do well and what we could improve on. Anyways, thanks again and expect to see me on Left 4 Dead TONIGHT.


-Nick

Lifecast of Travis

My favorite thing to be asked in the chat, "How is college Travis?" Well let me just lay it all down for you here instead of wasting my breath there. We all know where I am currently enrolled, why I am not on often and the like. So I am not going to reiterate myself on those aspects of my life. This Christmas I will be in my hometown, which is thirty minutes from Davids. Hopefully you will see much more from me before I move... To my new college.

I am Transferring to UT at Arlington. Majoring in English. I am going to be living in an apartment with one of my friends in which I will finally have Internet that I can play live on.

Also, I will be going to the same school that Matt is going to. We have yet to decide what we are going to do. But I think together we can do something. Maybe now, with a real Internet connection, we can begin an actual broadcast. Only problem being, Need the equipment. Matt and I plan on making plans, we will see what happens. Needless to say though, I am excited to have the opportunity to be more involved, rather than just talking via the chat room leaving my tid bits of information on the forums.

OK. So I have news.

One of my Favorite games of all time, one that I have never completed. One that has haunted me for a good 6 or 7 years of my life. A beautiful game, which I believe to be overshadowed by its predecessor. Final Fantasy IX. It is on my top ten. And currently I am on disc three. Twenty Five hours of my life have been blended into that game, this time around anyway.

Now lets discuss why this game is better than VII. Final Fantasy VII is a good game, don't get me wrong. It is hard for a game to create die hard fans such that Zelda, Halo, and other various games have done. I know we all have at least one friend who knows absolutely EVERYTHING there is to know about FFVII, and could be yoru strategy guide. That is a fan for you, and those types of fans are all over FFVII. And thats nice. FFVII is a great game. With little problems other than the materia concept which I never liked. The story obviously had a lot of thought put into it, and the characters are everlasting in the minds of many.

So how could I possibly say that IX is better? Well, simple put, it takes the best of all Final Fantasy's. The story line is your "epic" tale of kingdoms waging war, saving princesses, princesses becoming queens. Kingdoms being destroyed, power being manipulated, and of course the evil man that creates it all. The item system is almost identical to that of Final Fantasy Tactics. When you equip an item, it has stats, and then it has magic attacks, skills, stat boosts, and the like attached to it, which if you wear them long enough, grow to learn. Then you never have to wear them again.

The skill system is interesting. The skills you learn, and the skills you begin with are all equip able, but you have a set amount of skill points in to which you can attribute these skills too. Making you choose between such things as Jelly, which keeps you from getting petrified, or Locomotion, which makes you immune to Stop.

While there is a large amount of things to do, they are not as frequent as FFVII. Not to say there isn't things to collect, places to run into unexpectingly and gain something valuable, nor any epic "quests" which are completely optionaly. This is all here, but not in such a great number as FFVII. I absolutely do not consider this a bad thing. A problem I had with FFVII was that there was way too many things for me to do. In a Japanese RPG, this really grinds my gears. I feel the absolute need to do everything, to get that best weapon possible, and in FFIX it actually seems possible.

The story in FFIX is so much more... immature. Not in the sense that it's made for kids, but in the sense that it was done in a light note. There are very serious issues displayed, such as racism, war, hatred, the like. But the seriousness of the game is not overdone, nor a complete mind fuck such as FFVII was. There are a many corny, cute lines which the characters shoot out. This game is funny.

The absolute best cinematics out of ANY Final Fantasy. Hands down. This game produces the most beautiful art, and the most amazing CG cut scenes. I don't have much to say about them other than these keep me going when the going gets... rough or something.

The battle system is simple, easy to master, and really basic. But leaving a lot of room for interesting attacks and sequences. Though definitely not as engaging as, say, Legend of the Dragoon. Though I absolutely dislike "Trance" which is basically Limit Break. You can't hold off your attack until the next battle. Once trance goes off, you have to use it. Though your trance attacks with your main character are tight.

With all that said, completely my opinion. Just trying to get a game that didn't get appreciated much some attention.

I will see y'all this weekend when I make the other 3 players cry as I destroy their childhood dreams and virginities.

Travis 08

Believe

Call me confused.

I'm someone who appreciates concept art. Much more than in game 3-d character models. The Tekken and Soul Calibur concepts blow the animated characters out of the water. Usually I'm a sucker for that kind of stuff and anything with half talent I can appreciate.

I've run into a big of complexity and I'm not sure what or how to feel about Ayumi, the character from the upcoming South Peak published, Gaijin Entertainment developed, X-Blades. Please don't get the developer confused with Gaijin Works, which is former Working Designs President Victor Ireland's new company. Which I haven't heard a peep out of for some time.

So X-Blades follows a female treasure hunter who's recent discovery of a lost treasure map sends her into an adventure to accumulate artifacts and I'm assuming eventually save the world from destruction by some alien super force. From first glance I think the character designers made her exactly how she needed to be to get someone to take notice. Long blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, contradicting dark skin, large swords, and piece meal clothing. But taking a look again at Ayumi all my flaws with the stereotypical female heroine come completely into light.

Of course first is her clothing. The bikini top has been done a multitude of times before and disregarding all practicality, I think it just looks tacky and is a quick way of getting people to point out that you are a hoochie. But if that werent enough shes not wearing pants either. She's got some sort of chaps device and the bottoms for her bikini plain in sight. They're not even trying to tasteful at all. I think the female form is beautiful, but I also believe it is more attractive when you have to work to see it. Part of a woman's allure is the mysteriousness so having it all out there from the get go, makes things a little less interesting.

Her character is not exactly the most interesting either. She carried around "gun blades" which I don't know how anyone isn't calling in Square-Enix to comment on. Maybe the game is so insignificant that they don't really care to bother. Her name is Ayumi. I guess it's nice to see that they're not trying to stereotype a Japanese name into a completely asian looking character. It makes me wonder what the point is then. It feels like they tried to take a piece from everything that makes a video game girl attractive and then shoehorn them into a compliation girl. For example, guys think asians are hot, let's call her Ayumi. But to cater to the American crowd, let's make her blonde with blue eyes. Let's make her a bad ass and have her carry around these big weapons. What's a big weapon? Guns? Swords? No, no, no, how about guns with swords!!

You see my confusion now? Everything is based around the character. The story is laughable. The sidekick is a joke. There's no emphasis on level design or world creation. You've put this character as the focal point for this game and even she's kind of an abomination. Visit the official site to see what I mean. Just let is sit on the screen. I mean WTF?

Maybe I'm being a little harsh and expecting too much out of something that isn't supposed to be anything more than semi-fan service. I'm a pretty picky guy and quick to have opinions on things that I don't think are right. But part of us growing as people and a culture is to point out mistakes that we've made. Bring them to the light and understand why we made them and keep making them. We have an opportunity to have brilliant ideas and I'd like to see more of it.

Here's to a character done right,
David

A message to all our mods from your fans.

Thanks Skyliner12 and Mr Fabulous for putting this together. Amazing stuff. Just need to add some clever pics into the clip and you got gold.


Brad

Two videos of what I didn't want in my Tomb Raider game.

This is now a 30 dollar game for me.






*sigh*

I really don't think this series can ever be great again.


Brad

Who are we?

People always have wondered why we're called the 4PlayerPodcast. For a majority of our shows, it's only been two or three people. Back when we started as EastvsWest and the [workingtitle] podcast, we struggled to find an identity. When Brad moved back up to Austin and Travis joined the show, we all of a sudden had these 4 guys who loved to play games. Being as how most console games only support up to 4 Players, that's how we came about the name. And while it's great that the 4 of us became such great friends, I think it's also important to point out that it's not just the 4 "founding" members that makes us who we are. It's all the personalitites that we have accumulated and involved combined with uniqueness of the chatters that really makes 4PP. In a way, we've kind of outgrown the name.

There was also another reason why we were so behind the idea for the name and also why we've never been so die hard about having 4 people on the show everyweek. We do the show because we love it. Life is tough. The daily grind can get to you. So whenever we do get together, it's because we want to. Because just sitting around playing games is not enough, we've got to talk about them and discuss them and disect them. It's our release that we need for the games we play. So, it's really a show 4 Players. For you guys at home to enjoy and laugh at, but 4 us as well. You could think of it as The For Player Podcast.

I think you'll see and hear a lot more from Sandra starting from here on out. Mike will keep working on art and video projects. Juan will broadcast during the day when he can get out of the house. The Mods will still keep the order in the chatrooms. Travis will make his return whenever he's back in town from college, and eventually so will Matt. Look for Steffon to start helping us with some more video ideas and Steven to do some more original music. None of us know what will happen in the future, so we'll just keep walking forward and see where we end up.

Thanks for listening,
David

4Player Podcast Show #089

Here's this weeks show recorded 11.14.2008. Brad, Nick, and David are joined by Sandra Foy this week to talk about what else but video games.

#089 - The Foy Player Podcast [download]

Thanks,
David

Does anyone know how I can link an account to our old itunes?

If I made the fighter mash-up.

So I saw this video and got pretty excited. I have long dreamed of a new Marvel vs Capcom game solely because of my love for crazy character mash-ups. Tatsunoko vs Capcom has 100% less Marvel characters, but the game is clearly running on that same fighting system. I always felt Viewtiful Joe would have been a great choice had they ever decided to make a MvC3 and it looks like Capcom thought the same way.

This of course led to me fantisizing about my dream fighting game mash-up. The next Capcom vs Brad's Picks would probably contain the following among others:










Unfortunately the game would be rated M, as Viggo's finisher would be him beating the opponent death while naked in a sauna.


What's your dream list?


Brad