4Player Podcast 4Player Podcast

It's that special time of year once again... where the mess of showcases and preview events run amock without the comfort and organization of E3. Chaos aside... it's still an exciting time for anyone looking to know what the future of gaming has in store. With that in mind, we run through a long list of Summer Game Fest predictions put together by Chris Davis and discuss the highlights from last week's Playstation State of Play and Silent Hill Transmission events. But before we get to all that, Nick and Nolan talk about a hot up-and-coming new Metroidvania called Nine Sols and Brad shares his thoughts on a charming new arcade shooter called Minishoot Adventures!
Housekeeping (1:40) Impressions - Nine Sols (6:15) Impressions - Minishoot Advenures (30:45) Recap - Playstation State of Play and Silent Hill Transmission Highlights (44:30) Summer Game Fest Season Predictions (1:13:30) 4Player Minute (2:09:00)

Summer Games Fest approaches and some serious rumors are starting to circulate. We set aside some time at the top of the show this week to address some whispers regarding the next round of Resident Evil remakes, an impending Astro Bot announcement, and more! Krispy does an excellent job of selling us on the latest game from Simogo called Lorelei and the Laser Eyes and a conversation about Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 leads to a deeper debate about what dictates success in this industry.
Housekeeping (1:40) Rumors - The latest on the next Resident Evil projects (9:25) Rumors - Playstation preparing to announce the next Astro Bot (22:05) Impressions - Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (38:40) Impressions - Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 (1:07:30) 4Player Minute (1:51:20)

Indie-May continues! We revisit Animal Well and focus a little more on what that game looks like once you have peeled back a few layers of the proverbial onion; More specifically, after the credits roll. Brad goes to town on Dread Delusion as it subverts expectations in both good AND bad ways. Despite that, Brad is very clearly all in on the game. Nick circles back to Stellar Blade which has, at this point, established itself as an uncompromising horny game with some rock solid mechanics to boot. Also... we ask the age old question... what will Chris Davis play next?
Housekeeping / Chit-Chat (1:30) Impressions - Animal Well (30:08) Impressions - Dread Delusion (39:38) What will Chris Davis Play Next?!?! (1:03:40) Impressions - Stellar Blade (1:20:25) Fantasy Critic Updates (1:37:36) 4Player Minute (1:52:38)

The video game industry landscape continues to shift and collapse as everyone tries to time their layoffs to blend in with the outrage aimed almost entirely at Xbox. While the AAA space might be in turmoil at the moment, May is shaping up to be an absolutely incredible month for indie releases! We try our best (and mostly succeed) to not spoil Animal Well; but with a game built around discovery and experimentation, it proves difficult. As a lover of classic survival horror, Nick is ecstatic to share his thoughts on Crow Country while Brad hypes up V Rising which just hit 1.0 and offers one of the most genuine and addicting Vampire power fantasies out there. In the 2nd segment, Chris Davis entices Krispy to play Star Ocean: The Second Story R with an impressive but unexpected pitch.
Impressions - Animal Well (13:10) Impressions - Crow Country (35:25) Impressions - V Rising (42:00) Impressions - Star Ocean: The Second Story R (1:10:40) News - Playstation now has TWO CEOs... Hurray! (1:02:00) Fantasy Critic Updates (1:22:00) News - Assassin's Creed: Shadows to be Revealed on May 15th (1:26:00) 4Player Minute (1:34:00)

It's yet another sad day for the industry - Unfortunately just another week of mass layoffs, studio closures, and project cancellations thanks to out-of-touch, overpaid executives and bad management. On the morning of May 7th, Microsoft officially (and unexpectedly) closed down Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, Roundhouse Games, and Alpha Dog studio. As a result, hundreds of talented folks are suddenly unemployed and the future of promising IP like Hi-Fi Rush, Evil Within, and Prey are now in indefinitely in limbo. Of course, Sony is also in a hell of their own making (albeit a temporary one) thanks to a wildly misguided decision regarding Helldivers 2. It's a lot to unpack this week but it's not all doom and gloom; Nick takes the time to share his thoughts on the wacky world of INDIKA.
News - Microsoft suddenly shutters Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, Roundhouse Games, & Alpha Dog Studio (2:30) News - Sony stirs up controversy surrounding Helldivers 2 (43:35) Impressions - INDIKA(53:40) 4Player Minute (1:15:20)  

The calm before the storm that is May. We have a smaller crew this week but we assure you... it's not short; it's not boring; and most importantly... it's not organized! Brad kicks things off with a little candy interrogation followed by some random movie talk before we buckle down to talk about video games. Nick shares his early impressions of Stellar Blade and is surprised by how much substance there actually is in a game that seems more interested in being titillating. Brad also returns to Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes and his enjoyment is only getting more and more intense as time goes on. Throw in a little bit of random Baldur's Gate 3 talk along with some of our usual chaos and you've got yourself a podcast!
Housekeeping (2:00) Brad takes the Wheel (6:20) Impressions - Stellar Blade (21:35) Impressions - Eiyuden Chronicles: Hundred Heroes (53:40) Fantasy Critic Updates (1:20:20) 4Player Minute (1:27:30)