The Inner Gamer Podcast

Concord was killed by Sony so we didn't do a follow up review. Sorry to those looking forward to it! Maybe it'll come back in the future?

That being said, we have a great show for you. First, we review Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2. This game from Saber is a truly brutal, action packed thrill ride. It features a campaign, cooperative missions and full PVP. We share why it's not our game of the year, but a damn good game worth picking up.

Brett reviews Star Wars Outlaws. A game not worth picking up. We look at the story, gameplay and why although the game has a lot of good to speak of, they failed with the stealth which is the dominant part of the game. The look and feel is so incredibly Star Wars, but it fails to deliver on some fun combat and exploration.

We also review Lockdown Protocol, a game similar to Among Us but in 3D. It's a ton of fun for early access. We can't wait to see what's next for this game! Speaking of reviews, why not throw in a early review of Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown? It's not quite ready for primetime, with some bugs and graphical glitches, but there is potential there even if it did convince Brett to go back to The Crew Motorfest.

Finally (I told you it was jam packed), we look at the announcement of the PS5 Pro. It's slightly better than the PS5 for a whopping $700. Is it worth the cost of entry?

You can follow their Kickstarter here when it goes live or wishlist it on Steam.

Show Notes:
1:11 - Housekeeping
2:29 - Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2 Review
43:51 - Star Wars Outlaws Review
1:17:04 - Lockdown Protocol Review
1:32:39 - Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown Early Review
1:53:11 - PS5 Pro is Here: Too Much for Too Little?
2:15:35 - Upcoming Video Game Releases

Become a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.

Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.

Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64

We review the start to the World Saga called "World of Warcraft The War Within." Is it a huge step forward for the MMO? No. Is it fun to play? Sure is! We also share our first impressions of Black Myth Wukong. It's hard. But it looks amazing and apparently inspired Dragon-Ball Z! Brett gets into the alpha of Splitgate 2 and it's ready for primetime even though it's not coming out until 2025. We can't wait to play this!

Gamescom Opening Night Live took place in Cologne, Germany and had some fun surprises for us. We got Borderlands 4 announced, a new show called Secret Level featuring some of our favorite franchises and the reveal of Mafia: The Old Country.

We went to the United States only virtual reality eSports arena called EVA. This place is in Flower Mound and we went for a party. The experience was fantastic! Up to 10 people can play in a 5400 square foot arena with HTC headsets. It was super immersive both with the Zombie game and the team-based arena shooter.

Finally, Concord is having a rough launch. Player count is low on Steam but we're still going to give it a try. That being said, we talk about some of what could've kept people from buying the game, what the roadmap looks like and will it stay alive?

You can follow their Kickstarter here when it goes live or wishlist it on Steam.

Show Notes:
1:02 - Housekeeping
2:59 - World of Warcraft: The War Within Review
17:08 - Black Myth Wukong First Impressions
35:00- Splitgate 2 First Impressions
51:36 - The Biggest Surprises from Gamescom Opening Night Live
1:13:49 - EVA eSports Arena: A Glimpse Into the Future
1:36:11 - Concord Launches with Poor Numbers: Can It Be Saved?
1:56:29 - Upcoming Video Game Releases

Become a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.

Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.

Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64

We saw the Borderlands movie so you didn't have to. It's a mess. This review will feature spoilers but let's be honest, we're helping you.

Brett also reviews Against the Storm, available on Xbox Game Pass. It's a dark fantasy citybuilder with roguelike elements and it's a ton of fun. He also reviews Teardown, a game where you literally tear things down. There is a lot of destruction all centered around heist gameplay. The best part? The mods ya'll. They're insane.

Jason also played Ghost of Tsushima 10 times. He walks through why it's timeless and what we want to see from Ghost of Tsushima 2. 

Lastly, we have a special preview of a game coming soon to Kickstarter called Celestial Return. From Steam:

"Celestial Return is a narrative driven Sci-Fi Noir RPG where you roll as 3 lost souls scheming the Heist of the Millennia. Roll the dice, mix and match your skills, make tough choices, and steal the "Titan Core" to rule a cyborg army!"

You can follow their Kickstarter here when it goes live or wishlist it on Steam.

Show Notes:
1:10 - Housekeeping
2:23 - Borderlands Movie Review (SPOILERS)
39:31 - Against the Storm Review
1:04:23 - Why Ghost of Tsushima is Timeless After 10 Playthroughs
1:47:52 - Teardown Review
2:07:05 - Celestial Return Game Preview
2:15:58 - Upcoming Video Game Releases

Become a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.

Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.

Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64

We play the final chapter in the light and darkness saga of Destiny 2 called The Final Shape. The First Descendant brought us back into the world of Destiny. We also discuss where Bungie goes from here. What does the future look like for them? Will we see a Destiny 3? Will Marathon be good? What else are they working on?

Austin revisits World of Warcraft after awhile of not playing the game. The War Within expansion drops later this year so he's preparing to get into that this Fall while catching up with Dragonflight. 

Brett and Jason play Ready or Not's new DLC "Home Invasion." This DLC adds 3 new maps and several quality of life updates to an already great game. Check out our stream on our Twitch channel!

Lastly, Gamestop shuts down Game Informer. The magazine has been around for 33 years and this marks the end of an era where print is offically becoming a part of the past. We look back on some of our memories and talk about what this means for the future of games media.

Show Notes:
0:58 - Housekeeping
2:27 - Destiny 2 The Final Shape Review
40:01 - The Future of Destiny and Bungie
1:08:34 - Revisiting World of Warcraft in 2024
1:37:40 - Ready or Not: Home Invasion DLC Review
1:53:21 - The End of an Era: Gamestop Shuts Down Game Informer
2:21:20 - Upcoming Video Game Releases

Become a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.

Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.

Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64

This week Brett reviews Once Human, an MMO survival game that is a mix of Control and Death Stranding for the story. It also gains influences from The Division, Palworld, New World and many other games to make for a surprisingly compelling and engaging experience. The progression is impressive, the building is expansive, the world is fun to explore and you can jump in and out of the game with friends with no problem. 

We also share our first look at Concord on PS5. It's a new live service game that PlayStation is pushing. Firewalk Studios is the developer with veterans from Destiny. The game features a futuristic, 70's vibe with a variety of characters in a hero shooter that feels really high-quality but doesn't quite deliver on anything revolutionary. Will it find an audience? We'll see when the game launches in August.

After playing the First Descendant, we decided to jump back into Destiny 2 and compare the two looter shooters. They have a lot of similarities but utlimately only one can win our time so find out which one we landed on in this episode.

Lastly, Brett reviews a game called Humanity. It's an indie game where you guide a dog around to lead a group of people to this light in the sky. You must creatively maneuver them through the world to get to their destination. It's ok if some falloff, they'll come back. It's a charming, relaxing game that's worth trying out on Xbox Game Pass!

Show Notes:
1:14- Housekeeping
3:23 - Once Human Early Review
33:32 - Concord Beta Review: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
1:05:04 - The First Descendent or Destiny 2: The Battle of Looter Shooters
1:37:15 - Humanity Review
1:49:27 - Upcoming Video Game Releases

Become a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.

Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.

Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64

We have some fantastic conversations this week. First, we play Nexon's new looter shooter called The First Descendant. Brett played it in beta back in October of 2022 and now it's out in full release. It's part Warframe and part Destiny. Will it be good enough to take some player's away from the other games? Brett also gets into the closed beta for FragPunk. It's a Valorant-like game with a mix of Counter-Strike and Overwatch making a fun, gorgeously designed hero shooter with fast combat and a card system that really changes the game.

We go back 10 years to Dragon Age: Inquisition. In preparation for Dragon Age: Veilguard, we wanted to see how this game held up and why or why not we think this new direction is the right one for Veilguard. Brett also beat both Baldur's Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 and these games have truly redefined RPG's for him. What does this mean for the future of RPG's? Will they ever be able to live up to these games?

Lastly, Helldivers 2 has lost 90% of its active players. Can they come back? What do they need to regain people's interest? We still love it but will it stay that way after a year?

Show Notes:
1:18 - Housekeeping
2:29 - The First Descendant Early Review: Destiny Meets Warframe
34:20 - Can FragPunk Go Up Against Valorant?
1:00:02 - Dragon Age Inquisition in 2024: Did It Age Well?
1:25:11 - Redefining RPG’s: Baldur's Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077
1:49:36 - Helldivers 2 Lost 90% of Its Active Players: What Can Bring It Back?
2:14:29 - Upcoming Video Game Releases

Become a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.

Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.

Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64

Welcome to Episode 400! Jason dives back into Bright Falls with the Night Springs DLC for Alan Wake 2. It features 3 distinct stories in the Alan Wake multiverse. Brett and Austin play Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2 at Dallas Fan Expo. It's a ton of fun and we can't wait for this game to come out this Fall! We also review the roguelike Crab Champions. It's a early access game made by another solo dev that is a blast to play!

In the news, Xbox had their Games Showcase with tons of new games from Call of Duty Black Ops 6 to Doom to Gears of War E-Day. We also talk about Ubisoft Forward focusing on Assassin's Creed: Shadows and Star Wars Outlaws. Then we focus in on Dragonage: The Veilguard. It has a different artstyle than past games. Is it the right direction for hardcore fans? Finally, Nintendo had their direct featuring some fun new games like Mario and Luigi Brothership, a new Zelda game and the first gameplay reveal of Metroid Prime 4 Beyond.

Show Notes:
1:42 - Housekeeping
5:46 - Alan Wake 2: Night Springs DLC
21:18 - Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2 First Look
42:32 - Crab Champions Review
52:15 - Our Top 15 Games of the Xbox Gaming Showcase
1:29:40 - Ubisoft Forward featuring Star Wars Outlaws and AC Shadows 
1:57:50 - Dragon Age The Veilguard: Will it Hit Home with Diehard Fans?
2:12:06 -Metroid Prime 4. Legend of Zelda and Mario and Luigi | Nintendo Direct
2:27:13 - Upcoming Video Game Releases

Become a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.

Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.

Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64

This week review No Rest for the Wicked. It's a game in early access from the team that brought us Ori and the Blind Forest. Austin played it and is loving it so far. Brett also jumps into Tekken 8 after seeing it at DreamHack Dallas. It's a blast from the past with a ton of content to keep people busy. From a story mode to arcade mode to online versus, its a dense game with a ton of replayability. 

We went to DreamHack Dallas and saw some of our first eSports tournaments. We watched the Overwatch Championship Series, Tekken 8 tournments, Counter-Strike 2 and Starcraft 2. There was a lot of fun games to watch, play and more. 

We also talk about Summer Games Fest and it was a little underwhelming, but still a good time. There were some great indie highlights. We also watched the Sony State of Play where the biggest games were Astro Bot which looked great and Concord which looked...okay. Then of course Suicide Squad is still struggling in the news with stories of it having a rough development with a lot of misguidance and misdirection. It even was supposed to feature drivable vehicles and that was pulled last minute. It's such a shame.

Show Notes:
1:25 - Housekeeping
3:46 - No Rest for the Wicked Early Access Review
21:03 - Tekken 8 Review
32:36 - Our First Real eSports Experience: DreamHack Dallas
55:56 - What You Missed in Summer Games Fest
1:15:33 - Concord: Not Another Hero Shooter 
1:32:01 - Suicide Squad was Shamefully Misguided
1:49:18 - Upcoming Video Game Releases

Become a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.

Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.

Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64

Austin reviews Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2. Xbox had a lot riding on Ninja Theory deliving a banger with this game but unfortunately it doesn't live up to the  first one aside from a mega graphics upgrade. Brett also dives into xDefiant, the new shooter from Ubisoft featuring characters from all their major franchises such as Watch Dogs, The Division, Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell and Far Cry. We also review Content Warning. A game developed by a few people and costing under 8 dollars, this game provides hours of fun with friends. Record something scary, record it and go viral. That's the pitch but unfortunately it rarely ever goes your way!

We also talk about the reveal of Assassin's Creed Shadows. No gameplay yet but this game is set in feudal Japan where you can play either a female Ninja or a male Samurai. We're not sure how this mixture of characters will play into the Assassin's Creed lens, but we're waiting to see gameplay. We also look at the leaked footage of Deadlock from Valve. It's a hero shooter that mixes MOBA mechanics with a third person shooter game. It looks really good with a unique art style that has us intrigued.

Show Notes:
1:02 - Housekeeping
2:23 - Senua’s Saga Hellblade 2 Review: It’s Boring. Xbox Failed.
26:39 - xDefiant First Look: Not Quite the Call of Duty Killer
50:45 - Content Warning Review: Silly and Scary Fun with Friends
1:09:12 - Is It Too Late for Feudal Japan Assassin’s Creed?
1:33:46 - Valve’s Next Game is a Hero Shooter Called Deadlock
1:49:18 - Upcoming Video Game Releases

Become a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.

Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.

Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64

Austin gives his full review of Stellar Blade, the game from Korean mobile game developer SHIFT UP. He talks about the story, gameplay and how the world actually opens up beyond the demo. Brett also reviews Manor Lords. It's a indie title made by one guy where you build a medieval city and survive through the seasons. Brett also jumps into the early access version of Hades 2. It's here and it's better than ever. Brand new characters, new mechanics and a beautiful art style make us mostly excited to play this game.

In the news, we talk about some unfortunate events. Sony made a huge mistake by requiring PSN logins for PC users. Then they pulled the game from 177 countries. Then they removed the requirement, but the game is still unavailable in those countries that PSN doesn't exist. People were upset for good reason. Can Sony redeem themselves from this? 

We also talk about Microsoft's surprise decision to close down 4 studios from their Bethesda/Zenimax acquisition. Those studios include Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks, creators of Prey and Hi-Fi Rush. It's a surprise mood that makes people wonder...can we trust Xbox anymore?

Show Notes:
1:03 - Housekeeping
2:17 - Stellar Blade Review
32:51 - Manor Lords Review
56:02 - Hades 2 First Look
1:06:25 - Helldivers Win the Fight for Freedom Against Sony
1:26:53 - Microsoft Fooled Us All: 4 Studios Get Shut Down
1:53:09 - Upcoming Video Game Releases

Become a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.

Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.

Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64