Video Games 2 The Max

Sean and Marc go through another week in Video Games with both having early impressions of Like a Dragon: Ishin and the retail version of Theatrhythm Final Bar Line. Does Ishin continue the fun and crazy legacy of the other formerly Yakuza games? Does the Samurai aspect translate to more than just fans of the series? How much of an entry point into the wide world of Like a Dragon is this? Sean also has some early thoughts on the controversial Atomic Heart. The Bioshock-inspired game dropped last week on consoles and Xbox Game Pass. Does it make Marc excited to play it? How much Russian propaganda is in the game? And is the government of Ukraine correct in wanting to take it down? The guys also go through the important stuff from the Pokemon Presents broadcast and the highlights of the most recent Sony State of Play. Plus, more Assassin's Creed games are in development, Phil Spencer says the future of Xbox doesn't hinge solely on the Activision-Blizzard deal, console warriors getting clowned by the developers

Well, it is again that time of the week for a new Video Games 2 the MAX. Sean and Marc discuss some of the games they’ve been playing, what’s in the news and more. Sean has put a chunk of time into Wanted: Dead the newest title from developers behind two of his favorite franchises, Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive. Should this be another celebrated title from them? Or is it more of a misfire? The truth lies probably somewhere in the middle actually. He also gave the Wild Hearts trial a go and the demo for Like a Dragon: Ishin’s combat too. How does it compare to others in the series? Can Wild Hearts truly be called a worthy Monster Hunter clone? Plus, the guys discuss how much validity is there to the report from Gamesindustry.biz (https://www.gamesindustry.biz/microsoft-confirms-game-pass-cannibalizes-sales) regarding Xbox Game Pass cannibalizing sales. Speaking of sales, Sonic Frontiers had some impressive numbers and there are the January NPD numbers too. Also, Marc gives his thoughts on a new Civilization g

On the latest episode, Sean and Marc are joined by Jens Dietrich as he gives his thoughts and impressions of his time with Hogwarts Legacy. Does it live up to the hype brought on by the mammoth franchise? Is it unique for fans of the series? Could non-fans play it as well? Jens answers these questions, and much more. (* Writer's Note: We are fully aware of the issues brought on by the creator and author of the Harry Potter IP against the LGBTQIA + community, specifically comments that have been made against Trans and Jewish persons. We are vehemently against and DO NOT condone those statements and words by said person. Jens is discussing his playtime with the video game and making judgments based on solely on it being a video game. There is no ill will meant towards ANYONE for merely discussing Hogwarts Legacy. *) Sean also spent some time with the newly released Sea of Stars Demo and he gives his thoughts on the highly anticipated JRPG inspired by Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI. Plus, Marc has finishe

Sean and Marc are back with a two-part episode of Video Games 2 the MAX. On Part 2, Sean's been playing the newly released DEMO for the upcoming Theatrhythm: Final Bar Line. How does the former handheld-only Final Fantasy Music game translate to TV-based consoles? Has anything changed with the gameplay in the transition? And is it still just as fun as the previous games? Marc has played about 15 hours of Forspoken and he has some thoughts. Is the cool parkour and magic powers enough to overcome some of the other game's faults? The guys also discuss if PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox not being at E3 2023 is the final downfall of the convention. Can it survive without them? Or should everyone just be ready for the Geoff Keighley Summer Game Fest to be the new ruler of them all? Plus, Amazon is planning a whole universe with the Tomb Raider property. A whole lot of multiplayer games are shutting down soon. Our thoughts on Last of Us HBO show Episodes 2 and 3.If you would like a more in-depth discussion on each

Sean and Marc are back with a two-part episode of Video Games 2 the MAX. On Part 1, the guys delve into the Xbox Developer Direct and discuss what was announced, what they liked and maybe weren't so hot about. Plus, Sean played the shadow-dropped, HI-FI Rush and absolutely LOVES It! He discusses his first impressions of the game, what makes it stand out, and why it could wind up as one of the best games of 2023. Marc has been playing Fire Emblem Engage and he's maybe not as enthused compared to Sean, but he's still enjoying his time with it. Does it work in a POST Three Houses Fire Emblem universe? What is it exactly that isn't so glowing about the game? Marc certainly has some thoughts. Also, the guys discuss Gears 6 being in development, and what moving on to the next thing for Halo means in the grand scheme, The Crew LIVES!!! And it is getting a new iteration in The Crew: Motorfest. Ubisoft working on two Far Cry titles, and much more. Be sure to tune in to Part 2 as well, where Sean discusses his thoughts

Yeah, it's almost the middle of February, so what? Better late than never right? Sean and Marc with a little help from regular guests of the show bring you our 25 Best Video Games of 2022. Will it be Elden Ring or God of War Ragnarok taking the crown? What about other major titles from the year such as Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Horizon Forbidden West, and Vampire Survivors? Will a Pokemon game actually make it in? There are so many games that come out every year, but it is always exciting to see which ones make the lists. Here's our GOTY for 2022 discussion about a month and a half late.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/0bxZQ6RYwkQ- Plugs - Sean Twitter: https://twitter.com/W2MSeanMarc Twitter: https://twitter.com/HumanityPlagueFollow W2M Network on Twitter: https://twitter.com/w2mnetworkFollow us on Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@w2mnetwork2Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/aydMgvUN9

2023 in gaming has officially begun with some major releases, One Piece Odyssey, and some smaller ones, including Space for the Unbound. Sean has some significant impressions of both titles. Unfortunately, the big tech layoffs have hit Xbox and Bethesda, especially for many at 343 Industries, which has put the future of the Halo franchise in doubt. Marc wonders if this is more of the same bad news for Microsoft, especially when paired with the news that Google and NVIDIA have also voiced concerns over the Activision-Blizzard deal too. Could this make it even tougher for the big purchase to go through? The only thing that seemed to go right in video game-related things was the NPD sales for the year and The Last of Us HBO show premiere. Aside from thoughts on the first episode, there are also discussions on Callisto Protocol's low sales, Ubisoft's underperforming in a variety of areas, Square-Enix officially announcing the end of support for Marvel's Avengers, and much more.You can also watch this episode on v

This episode was originally recorded on January 7, 2023... (Sean is having a hard time finding computer access to edit due to his living situation. Also, apologies, Sean was sick during the recording so there are some audible sniffles here and there.) Sean and Marc are back to discuss the possibility of getting that long-rumored Final Fantasy IX Remake, but that may not be the only one, as there are now rumors of a Persona 3 Remake as well. Sony also took to CES to make some big announcements including their version of a disability controller called Project Leonardo, the announcement that 30 Million PS5s have been sold, and even Neil Druckmann had some news about a possible Last of Us Part 3 too. Plus, Square-Enix is still stuck on the blockchain, the System Shock Remake could be out soon, Sean's beat Crisis Core FF VII Reunion, and now is playing the Original Final Fantasy VII too. Marc keeps going on World of Warcraft: Dragonflight, and much more. The guys also give out their Top 10 Most Anticipated Games o

Originally Recorded on 12/21/22. This is just a straight up goof. Sean thought he had posted the audio version and turns out he did not. Unfortunately, due to further personal issues for Sean, we haven’t been able to keep a set schedule, but at least we do have another episode of Video Games 2 the MAX for ya. Although the Game Awards have passed, there’s been quite a bit of fallout from it that isn’t just the announcements and awards, (although the guys are going to discuss some of their favorite things from it and about the show in general), such as the show doing incredibly well in viewership numbers, more information on some of the announcements, criticism towards Xbox for basically no showing the event, especially when their rivals did have announcements at the Game Awards, and more.Microsoft is seemingly making more strides in concessions to help the Activision-Blizzard deal go through, including offering Call of Duty on PS Plus and offering that 10-year deal as well. Then, there’s the other side of it w

It has been one thing or another with personal issues for Sean over the last month that's kept us from recording an episode. However, prior to the Game Awards we did do an episode with Sean, Marc, and Daniel. Obviously, the award show has already passed, but if you'd like, you can go to the 1 hour and 9 min mark and listen to who we thought would win in most of the major categories including Game of the Year. Also on this episode, we discuss Microsoft's big announcement that they are officially joining the $70 games club, as its future first-party titles will now be at that price. Could a price increase for Xbox Game Pass be next on the horizon as well? Are video games even worth the price to begin with? Plus, the latest on the Activision-Blizzard deal, the FTC trying to block the deal and what concessions may be made for it to go through. Dead Island 2 is delayed AGAIN, could Legacy of Kain be close to a comeback? Marc has more thoughts on God of War Ragnarok, Sonic Frontiers, and World of Warcraft: Dragonfl

Marc has been playing God of War Ragnarok and has some thoughts after about 15 hours through the game. Nintendo had another indie world showcase so you know Sean has some favorite games that were shown off. Plus, Final Fantasy XVI controversy, Control 2 is official, there's a Gears of War movie and animated series coming, rumors abound of a Horizon MMO, the guys lament the sad passing of the voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy, Sean has thoughts on Marvel Snap and more.You can also watch this episode earlier on video through our Youtube channel, W2M Network. You can go subscribe and ring the bell there to get notified when here's a new episode: https://youtu.be/uvbqN7m4NNQ Timestamps: 00:00:00 Intro & Housekeeping- Major Topic -00:03:55 God of War Ragnarok Impressions - Going Gaming -00:21:00 Marc Goes to a Retro Game Expo and Buys some old games (Perfect Dark (N64), X-Men (SNES), Legend of Dragoon (PS1), Kagero: Deception 2 (PS1), Mega Drive Power Mini - What's in the News - 00:29:20 Kevin Conroy, THE voice o

Sony has finally revealed the price and release date of the PlayStation VR 2 or PSVR 2. Retailing for a whopping $549 and out on February 22, 2023. Is the price too high? Or is it fair considering the market that's out there for VR currently? What is the launch lineup looking like and will Sean or Marc even venture to get one at some point? Financials are out for many gaming companies, but namely the two big ones, Xbox and PlayStation see downtrends in subscribers or growth for consoles at least when it comes to Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus respectively, what could be the cause of this? And should any alarm bells be sounding because of this? Plus, Henry Cavill leaves the Witcher series, CD Projekt announces The Witcher 1 remake, Phil Spencer has some choice words about Call of Duty remaining on PlayStation, EA making more Marvel games, and more.You can also watch this episode earlier on video through our Youtube channel, W2M Network. You can go subscribe and ring the bell there to get notified when her

Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope is OUT! And Marc has been playing it. Marc gives his impressions of it, having finished about half the game. Have the gameplay changes been for the better? How's the Overworld? Are the talking Rabbids as hilarious as we'd expect? Yeah, I have a lot of questions. Plus, is it better than the original? Silent Hill's presentation had quite a lot to announce, and although most of it was things we guessed would happen, it is still pretty cool to be getting a Silent Hill 2 Remake, a separate Silent Hill game from No Code and Annapurna called Silent Hill Townfall, Silent Hill F, (the next game in the series), and even a new movie too. Sean and Marc have some thoughts on this as well. Also, the Bayonetta 3 Voice Actor saga takes another turn, Fallout 4 goes Next-Gen, Sean plays God of War 2018, and the first A Plague Tale game too! Marc also played Batora: Lost Haven, and more!You can also watch this episode earlier on video through our Youtube channel, W2M Network. You can go subscribe

Two upcoming games are causing a big stir this week for different reasons. Gotham Knights running at 30 FPS instead of 60 FPS sends gamers into a tizzy because it isn't the peak performance one would expect from a Current gen game. Sean, Marc, and Daniel discuss and debate their stance on the subject and if 30 FPS games could still be happening even further into this console generation. Bayonetta 3 also featured in its own controversy with the past voice of the lead character, Hellena Taylor, saying she didn't return to reprise her role because she wasn't offered a fair wage for her services. This led to a lot of other things including current Bayonetta voice actress Jennifer Hale having to release a statement as well. The CMA has pursued a Phase 2 investigation in the Activision-Blizzard-King acquisition, forcing Microsoft to lay it all out there to prevent a big blow to their hopes of landing the Call of Duty maker. Could Sony have also delayed a PlayStation Showcase to strengthen its position further as we

Another week in video games and another week that revolves around Microsoft and Activision-Blizzard. Whether it is Brazil approving the Microsoft acquisition of ABK, Overwatch 2 launching with various issues, or even Call of Duty also forcing people to use a mobile device there are certainly a lot of talking points for Sean and Marc to mull over. Marc did run into some issues, but he's also played Overwatch 2 and gives out his Launch Impressions on this episode.Would You buy an Xbox Streaming Device? Well, Phil Spencer may have possibly teased the existence of it while hyping a tweet. Sean discusses how the right price could make this a viable option for people that want to get into gaming without a box. While you can probably expect that Marc will have an opposing opinion on the matter. The Super Mario Bros. movie got its first teaser trailer and it was pretty cool. Meta bought some gaming VR studios, and much more.* Apologies, I didn't realize until after we finished recording that I didn't talk about my th

CD Projekt Dropped some HUGE news confirming they are working on a brand new IP, an entire second Witcher trilogy, two other Witcher projects being developed by other studios, and even a sequel to Cyberpunk 2077 as well called Project Orion. Sean and Marc discuss their thoughts on this bold initiative by the company to just announce it all at once and if this will lead to redemption for the studio. Sony and Microsoft's battle over the Activision-Blizzard-King deal continues with each side having its final meetings and say before the CMA goes into investigation mode. Microsoft even made an entire site dedicated to the deal. Could this actually help them get the deal passed? Or are the constant complaints from Sony going to halt it? Also, Sony drew the ire of social media with rumored plans to Remaster or possibly even Remake Horizon Zero Dawn to make it more in line with its sequel Horizon Forbidden West so that it creates more hype around the game when the Netflix series launches. Sean and Marc discuss if the

On this edition of the show, Sean and Marc discuss Google Stadia shutting down, is this more of Google expecting more than they should have, what went wrong? And what does it say about Cloud Gaming? Even with Logitech and Razer both announcing Cloud Gaming Devices. Is it possible Microsoft could do their own Game Pass Handheld? Also, Skull & Bones is Delayed AGAIN by Ubisoft and this time it won't be released until March 2023. Will the game actually see release? And could there be some kind of redemption for this title at some point? There's also the latest controversy with Overwatch 2, Tiny Tina becoming a franchise, EA's Wild Hearts, Sean played a little of FIFA 23, Marc played some Live a Live, and more!You can also watch this episode on video through our Youtube channel, W2M Network. You can go subscribe and ring the bell there to get notified when there's a new episode: https://youtu.be/4PLI_UqcMUg Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/aydMgvUN9dVisit Our Website: https://w2mnet.com/Follow Us on Twi

On this episode, Sean, Marc, and Daniel discuss the announcement of a new Iron Man game in development at EA's Motive studio. There's a rumor going around of a new PlayStation 5 SKU with a detachable disc drive. Also, sadly mass layoffs occur at G4 and gaming outlet Fanbyte. Someone leaked Grand Theft Auto VI and now even the F.B.I. is involved. Dan Allen Gaming outed himself as the "Real Insider." The Yakuza name is no more, it's all about Like a Dragon, at least there are more games coming in the series now. Plus, Sean played all of the recently released demos of the big swath of Square-Enix games that are coming soon. Harvestella, Diofield Chronicle, Valkyrie Elysium, Star Ocean Divine Force, and he has thoughts on them all.You can also watch this episode on video through our Youtube channel, W2M Network. You can go subscribe and ring the bell there to get notified when there's a new episode: https://youtu.be/F3GUTzrcBSwJoin us on Discord: https://discord.gg/aydMgvUN9dVisit Our Website: https://w2mnet.com/

Originally Recorded in the early hours of Wednesday 09/14/22. It is out late this week due to Sean having to go to his Grandfather's Viewing and Funeral within two consecutive days. Well, to put it mildly, this week was announcement mania. No less than four showcases have taken place since the last time we recorded an episode. So obviously there is a lot to discuss and go through. Sean, Marc, and Daniel discuss their favorite announcements and things they are looking forward to from each one. We got God of War: Ragnarok, Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, a new Captain America & Black Panther game, and teases for several Assassin's Creed titles. What more could have happened? Trust me, there was quite a bit more. Plus, although Square-Enix had a ton of positives from two of these events, they also announced the shutdown of Babylon's Fall is coming soon, Xbox is getting Discord support and a new dashboard, and also Bonnie Ross leaving 343 Industries too. You can also watch this episode on video thro

Originally recorded in the early morning of 09/08/22. Sean had a death in the family shortly before recording this episode which delayed the release of it. As the gaming world gears up for some big announcements within the next few weeks, the acquisitions and stock purchases of companies continue, as Tencent and Sony make payments to up their stake in Elden Ring developer From Software, while Tencent even does the same with Ubisoft making the rumors from a few weeks ago come true. Not to mention, Net Ease ups their stake into a full-on acquisition as they have made it their intention to purchase Quantic Dream. The battle still rages on between Sony and Microsoft in the fight with the review boards, as Sony gets a small victory in forcing an in-depth review of the Activision-Blizzard-King acquisition in the UK. While also fanning the flames of social media with Jim Ryan’s statement that “Microsoft’s offer is inadequate.” Is it really a bad deal? Would this actually weaken Sony’s place in the gaming industry?