Video Games 2 the MAX Sean Garmer & Marc Morrison

This week, Sean is joined by the head man at https://www.theouterhaven.net/ Keith Mitchell, as Keith gives his thoughts and impressions of the newly released Street Fighter 6. How does it stack up to SFV? Does it bring back the glory of the series? How's the World Tour Mode? And is it something that can bring in newcomers?


Also, Summer Games Fest looms on the horizon as it begins this week with not only the SGF Showcase itself, but other big events such as the Xbox Showcase, Ubisoft Forward, and even smaller ones like the Guerilla Collective, Day of the Devs, and more. Sean discusses his hype level as a gamer and a little of the anxiety of covering it all as a Journalist too.


Plus, both Sean gives his thoughts on the One Piece Odyssey DLC, Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse, Square-Enix worried about Final Fantasy XVI sales, Arkane devs wishing that Microsoft would have canceled Redfall, Nintendo shadow announcing a game, and could Microsoft actually close the ABK Merger already? All of this and more on this episode!


You can also watch this episode on video via the W2M Network Youtube channel. Please like and subscribe to us over there as well: https://youtube.com/live/ff26jDTAGYA


Timestamps:

00:00:00 START

00:03:00 Housekeeping

- Games We Are Playing -

00:04:55 Street Fighter 6 (Keith)

00:21:35 One Piece Odyssey DLC: Reunion of Memories (Sean)

- What's in the Gaming News -

* Due to an unexpected Family Emergency, Keith had to wind up exiting the recording. Sean had to do the rest of the episode by himself. *

00:23:40 Arkane Austin Devs Hoped Microsoft Would Cancel Redfall After Bethesda Was Acquired

00:30:10 Microsoft is considering the possibility of closing the ABK Merger even with CMA Block

00:33:30 Capcom Wants to Know Which Resident Evil game should be Remade Next

00:38:30 Nintendo Shadow Announces Everbody 1-2 Switch

00:41:20 Kirby Support Studio Vanpool is Closed Down

- What's your Hype Level For The Big Showcases -

00:42:35 Summer Game Fest is Almost Here

- The End! -

00:52:40 Square-Enix Chances of Showing Final Fantasy VII Rebirth & Concern over FFXVI Sales

00:56:30 Spider-Man: Across the Universe Thoughts

00:59:00 Games Coming Out This Week! (Diablo IV, Amnesia: The Bunker, Loop8 & More)


- Listen & Give us a review -

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Sean is joined by Jordan Andow, a game developer and game journalist for The Outerhaven and soon also of Analog Stick Gaming in discussing their thoughts on the highly criticized PlayStation Showcase. Does it really deserve all of the "disappointment" discourse? Did everyone just get overhyped? Or is it a case of Sony setting too high expectations? We also give out some of our favorite games from the showcase as well.

One game that was not shown was the much anticipated Last of Us Factions, which according to a report from Bloomberg, has been scaled back after Sony's newly acquired major studio and makers of Destiny 2, Bungie, informed Naughty Dog that the game would not keep players interest for very long. Was this the right move? Hasn't Naughty Dog earned enough cache to do their own thing? Does this worry you about Sony's new live-service direction?

Plus, Jordan shares his gaming origins, more discussion on Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, thoughts on Sony's Cloud direction, why games have come out with issues this year, Final Fantasy may no longer have numbers, and much more!
You can also watch this episode on video via the W2M Network Youtube channel. Please like and subscribe to us over there as well: https://youtube.com/live/etGBXb-Raw8

* Jordan had a lot of insight into what was discussed both as a gamer and a game developer. Hence, there are times when the timestamps will not line up because this podcast wound up being more of a conversation about various things and not so rigid on the topics listed. So there may be a bit of blending of topics discussed. So apologies if the timestamps aren't exact. *

Timestamps:

00:00:30 START

00:04:50 Housekeeping

- Games We Are Playing -

00:06:20 Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Jordan). Also discussed here: Why some games have been released with Performance Issues and why Tears of the Kingdom is such a marvel from a technical standpoint.

00:22:05 Cassette Beasts (Sean & Jordan.) Also discussed here: Why Cassette Beasts' fusing mechanic could have been a good direction for Pokemon to go in, why we shouldn't treat every small-scale title in the same way, why aesthetics for a game are very important, What's always made Jordan a gamer and some cool info on one of his favorite games, Shenmue, and why Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus are vital for gaming going forward.

00:50:15 Ravenlok (Jordan). Also discussed here: The nuance of game reviews and why Ravenlok and It Takes Two are perfect examples of deceptively good games, plus more on how variety from Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus is so helpful for gaming.

01:01:15 Planet of Lana. (Sean)

- Getting to Know Jordan -

01:03:20 Jordan's Gaming Origins (including some more of his favorite games, what console he prefers, what made him go from gamer to game developer to journalist, and why Remakes are important beyond just putting it on modern consoles, Jordan's ideas behind game reviews, and more!)

- Does PlayStation deserve the hate -

01:41:00 PlayStation Showcase Thoughts (Why it really isn't as disappointing as many are making it seem like it is, reasons why it is a good showcase, Sony's live-service strategy, inside perspective on game development challenges.

02:05:10 Last of Us Factions Scaled Back By Sony

02:06:30 Jordan's Favorite Games from the Showcase and Thoughts on Project Q and Sony wanting to do more with Cloud Gaming

02:17:00 Jordan promo time!

- Sean Goes Solo for News Quick Hits -

02:18:15 Project Q (PS5 Remote Play Device), its potential price, and if it is needed at all

02:23:50 Square-Enix is Potentially Considering Removing Numbers from Mainline Final Fantasy Games

02:28:30 Samba...

Sean is joined by Jeff Young, Reviewer and Owner of Analog Stick Gaming, (which you can check out at (https://t.co/qRtFHRH3wG). Jeff gives his thoughts on Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and another game he's playing called Showgunners as well.

There's a PlayStation Showcase happening in a matter of days and both of them give three major predictions for the show, along with some hopes and dreams for it too.

The duo also gets into some big topics such as whether releasing day and date on PC actually hurts sales for consoles or its first-party games, should we read anything into the lack of exuberance over PSVR 2 from Jim Ryan, and is the gaming media biased against Xbox?

Plus, Sean saw Fast X in RDX, Jeff's Gaming origins, MK 1 DLC and Alan Wake release window have leaked, should there be a PS5 Pro? Sonic music is going on the road and much more!

You can also watch this episode on video via the W2M Network Youtube channel. Please like and subscribe to us over there as well: https://youtube.com/live/Edub5LE3m3U

Timestamps:

00:00:30 START

00:02:30 Housekeeping
Games We Are Playing -
00:03:45 Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Jeff)

00:18:00 Showgunners (Jeff)

00:24:30 Bat Boy (Sean & Jeff)

00:29:15 Octopath Traveler 2 (Sean)


Getting to Know Jeff -
00:35:30 Jeff Young's Gaming Origins


What's in the Gaming News -
00:55:55 Jim Ryan says it is too early to discuss PSVR 2 Success or Failure

01:03:30 Jim Ryan says PlayStation Exclusives Will be Out on PC 2 to 3 years Afterwards

01:09:15 Overwatch 2 Will No Longer Have Hero Mode or PVE

01:21:30 Is the Gaming Media Biased Against Xbox?

01:32:30 Should There Be a PS5 Pro?

01:38:15 Sonic Orchestral Concerts are going on Tour

01:41:45 SEGA is interested in more films based on their franchises

01:47:05 Mortal Kombat 1's First DLC characters get leaked & Alan Wake 2's Release Window gets leaked


Main Topic -
01:53:55 PlayStation Showcase Predictions


The End -
02:02:55 Games Coming Out This week!


Plugs -
Sean Twitter: https://twitter.com/W2MSean
Marc Twitter: https://twitter.com/HumanityPlague
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Perhaps the biggest release of the entire year is finally here! @TheOuterhaven's Scott Adams (find him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sithscott) joins Sean to discuss his first impressions of Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, thoughts on what's being done to all of the Korok's, and of course if this is the correct way forward for Link and company in the future.

Although there are some other Nintendo news bits to get to, The EU handed down their decision in the Microsoft Activision-Blizzard Deal and it has passed with a few remedies, one of them is that Microsoft must provide access to ABK titles to any and all Cloud streaming companies for at least the initial 10 years. Does this provide an avenue to pass the deal in the USA and UK? What did the CMA have to say? And will Cloud Gaming even matter in 10 years anyway?

Speaking of new gaming habits, Nintendo's Switch and Valve's Steam Deck have spurred quite a few competitors, but Asus ROG Ally looks to perhaps be the closest one yet, and it is releasing June 13. Although it carries a hefty $699 price tag, if it succeeds, could it lead to a major adoption of Portable Gaming devices? Would Sony or Microsoft benefit from this? And could it really be in for a fight with the Steam Deck?

Plus, learn about Scott's gaming origins and Our Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Thoughts, Mortal Kombat 1 is a thing, with more game delays, and Scott and Sean have been playing other games too, such as Bat Boy, Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord, and more!

You can also watch this episode on video via the W2M Network Youtube channel. Please like and subscribe to us over there as well: https://youtube.com/live/qG8uSh0mIug

Timestamps:

00:00:30 START

00:02:15 Housekeeping

- Let's Take it to Hyrule -

00:03:30 Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom First Impressions (Scott)

- Getting to know Scott Adams -

00:15:40 Scott's Love of Gaming (First Console, Favorite Games, What made him start writing about video games & More)

- Other Games We've Been Playing -

00:36:15 Honkai Star Rail (Sean & Scott)

00:43:43 Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord (Scott)

00:53:20 Final Thoughts on Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Future Redeemed (Sean)

00:57:50 Octopath Traveler 2 (Sean)

00:58:35 Bat Boy (Sean)

- A little Nintendo News -

01:01:20 What's Next For Nintendo? A Possible Switch 2? Or Something Else?

01:09:55 Should Nintendo Stick with the Breath of the Wild Formula?

- The EU Makes a Big Move -

01:17:50 The EU Passes the Microsoft Activision-Blizzard Merger With Some Cloud Remedies

- Breaking Down the ROG Ally -

01:35:05 Could the ROG Ally Be a Serious Steam Deck Competitor?

- Some Extra News Bits -

01:47:50 Mortal Kombat 12 will actually be called MK 1

01:52:00 Hollow Knight: Silksong & Wrestlequest Both Delayed

- The End -

01:54:45 Games Coming Out This Week!

01:57:25 Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Movie Thoughts

- Plugs -

Sean Twitter: https://twitter.com/W2MSean

Marc Twitter: https://twitter.com/HumanityPlague

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Sean is joined on this week's Video Games 2 the MAX by Andrew Orozco of the Duosense Podcast and geeknewsnow.net, to discuss Star Wars Jedi Survivor, Redfall, the fallout for Xbox and what it means for the future, and also PlayStation's future as well.

You can check out Andrew's podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QXKfCJcRxzL5E6GdBDNlD and Apple Pods: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/duosense-podcast/id1581531371) as well as many other places too.

Redfall launched last week in a bad state. Still, unlike another game, Star Wars Jedi Survivor, where it was clearly just performance issues that mired the game, Redfall suffered from creative and gameplay issues that are intrinsic to its experience. Since its launch, the game's reception has spurred thoughts on Xbox and Microsoft's direction of the brand as a whole.

The guys discuss highlights of Phil Spencer's recent candid interview he did on the Kinda Funny Xcast and use that as a way to analyze what to expect from Xbox and if there was more that could have been done to avoid the blunder that happened with Redfall. Should we be worried about Starfield now? And does this have any effect on the Activision-Blizzard acquisition that's still very much hanging by a thread?

However, one cannot discuss Microsoft's Xbox without making a comparison to the "Blue Guys" over at PlayStation. There's little doubt that Sony has already won the "console war" but they also have quite a lot to do with how the industry moves forward. Some of that could be revealed at their next PlayStation showcase, which could be a few weeks away. What do the guys make of the rumors about Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake? What else could Sony have up their sleeve?

You can also watch this episode on video via the W2M Network Youtube channel. Please like and subscribe to us over there as well: https://youtube.com/live/5tQqMB5_k5I

Timestamps:

00:00:30 START

- Getting to Know Andrew Orozco -

00:04:00 Andy's Love of Gaming (First Console, Favorite Games, What made him start the podcast and making content about video games & More)

- Main Topic -

00:34:30 Redfall Impressions (Sean)

00:40:40 Analyzing Microsoft/Bethesda's Decision to Release Redfall, Discussing some of the comments Phil Spencer made regarding competing with Sony, Great games not being enough to make a difference, how much pressure is on Starfield, and more.

01:03:10 Can Xbox gamers feel any sort of confidence going into the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase? What could be shown there? Should Xbox Keep investing and supporting Redfall?

- Games We Are Playing -

01:20:40 Star Wars Jedi Survivor (Andrew)

01:31:00 Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Future Redeemed (Sean)

- What's Going on With Sony -

01:34:10 Sony May Have a Big Exclusivity Deal With Konami for Silent Hill 2 Remake, Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake & Castlevania too

01:39:05 What Could Sony Have at their PlayStation Showcase?

- The End -

01:51:30 Games Coming Out This Week (Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom) And Promotion Time!

- Plugs -

Sean Twitter: https://twitter.com/W2MSean

Marc Twitter: https://twitter.com/HumanityPlague

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Sean is joined this week by the host of another W2M Network pod, Chapter Select's Randy Isbelle to discuss the CMA blocking the Microsoft and Activision-Blizzard Merger, the Super Mario Bros. Movie passing the $1 Billion mark globally, the disappointing issues with Star Wars Jedi Survivor, and several other topics.

The guys have also played some games with Sean diving into the newly released story DLC, Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed. He also has some impressions on the indie investigative Metroidvania The Last Case of Benedict Fox. Randy has played more Resident Evil 4 Remake, MLB The Show 23, and some of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters too.

The duo also gives out their hype levels for various games and gaming-related media that are coming out soon such as the Twisted Metal Peacock Show, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Diablo IV, and Final Fantasy XVI to name a few.

You can also watch this episode on video via the W2M Network Youtube channel. Please like and subscribe to us over there as well: https://youtube.com/live/S0PsdvRI4NA

Timestamps:

00:00:30 START

00:03:15 Housekeeping

- Games We've Played -

00:05:15 Resident Evil 4 Remake (Randy)

00:08:35 Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters (Randy)

00:14:10 A little detour into discussing if we are buying Final Fantasy XVI and Diablo IV

00:15:45 The Last Case of Benedict Fox (Sean)

00:18:05 Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Future Redeemed

- Big Moment For Video Games -

00:22:25 The Super Mario Bros. Movie Finally Hits $1 Billion Worldwide, (also answer a question from a viewer, what if there was a Nintendo Cinematic Universe?)

- Major Topics -

00:34:10 The CMA BLOCKS Microsoft's Acquisition of Activision-Blizzard in the UK over Cloud Gaming concerns

00:54:20 Star Wars Jedi Survivor Launch Issues

- Asking Randy Some Questions -

01:00:40 The PSVR 2 is coming to stores soon, any interest in it?

01:04:20 What Could Sony show at the PlayStation Showcase?

01:06:35 What kinds of games do your kids play?

01:11:50 The PS Essential Games for May

- Fun Topic -

01:13:15 What's Your Hype Level For... (Peacock Twisted Metal TV Show, Gran Turismo Movie, Redfall, Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Street Fighter 6, Diablo IV & Final Fantasy XVI)

- The End -

01:34:30 Games Coming Out This Week!


- Plugs -

Sean Twitter: https://twitter.com/W2MSean

Marc Twitter: https://twitter.com/HumanityPlague

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