The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse - What Happened?
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Edited By: / gamingxperience
Additional Editing By: / guarascia
SkeleMatt art by: / donwoka
Intro By: / 2manysnacks and / littlevmills
SOURCES:
Unseen64 - Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse [PC/XBOX/PS2/GC - Cancelled]
www.unseen64.n...
CNET - 3DO files for bankruptcy
www.cnet.com/t...
MUSIC LIST:
Darksiders - Battle with Straga
Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines - Mission Impossible (Combat)
Castlevania Rondo of Blood - Den
Splatterhouse - Satan's Masque
Twisted Metal - Boom
Quake 2 - The Underworld
Destruction Derby 2 - Pushed Away (SCA Motorplex)
Slain! - The Forge (The Wolflands)
Painkiller - Kill My Boss
The Darkness - Final Revenge Action Mix
#fourhorsemen #whathappened #mattmcmuscles
Пікірлер: 271
I was hired at 3DO (along with a bunch of other folks) to work on SRS: Street Racing Syndicate. It had a big marketing campaign (including real life strippers being in the game and showcased on IGN each week). The game was still pre-alpha, barely functional, and was still going through collision testing on tracks that weren't even all in the game yet. 2 1/2 weeks into the contract, we were all called together to tell us that we had been hired to finish off the title in a last burst, and get it out in a manner of weeks (an utterly laughable prospect), but when the higher ups finally realized that wasn''t happening, they laid the entire office off, and went into bankruptcy not long after. That was an asinine experience. Heh
@kylewilson9260
9 ай бұрын
That sounds about right. Why does the games industry always sound like either a bunch of businessmen who know shit about games or a bunch of game developers who know shit about business?
@SorarikoMotone
9 ай бұрын
because thats exactly how it is for the most part if talking about non-indie games@@kylewilson9260
@Islandswamp
9 ай бұрын
I would love to make games for a living except for the insane hours. I can work a lot on something I’m passionate about but I cant handle living at my office. I wish game companies would stop overworking their employees so much.
@kikisniper2579
9 ай бұрын
Did you manage to find a new job elsewhere?
@hybridtheory9938
9 ай бұрын
@@kylewilson9260 It's not just games, this is also a thing in big Hollywood studios and various comic publishing companies (especially Japan). Matt showed in the video about "The Predator" that the studio said the movie was "not allowed to fail" and kept demanding reshoots, or in Plague of Gripe's video about Gohan that the Cell arc turned out the way it did because the editor at the time kept demanding changes in the middle of the story. Big entertainment like this isn't cheap, obviously, so the people footing the bill are going to make sure they get their money back. Problem is that interference rarely ever works out. The only time I can think of where it did was we got "Batman Beyond" out of it, but even then the studio just made a demand and the creators were allowed to run with it.
This has to be one of the saddest Wha Happun stories of all time. All of the talent and passion that went in to trying to make this game happen--not to mention the enthusiasm many of us had for it at the time--it's just hard to believe no publishers would pick it up. At least the amazing art work still survives.
@rickyspanish4792
9 ай бұрын
I wish they would release this project into open source, so some mad lad can pick it up..
@Marshdweller
9 ай бұрын
Give those artists a raise.
@Dinosaurianationazation
8 ай бұрын
I shalt avenge thee... This and Scalebound are by far the coolest cancelled games.
I've never heard of this game, but man, watching this makes me so sad. The early 2000's was the perfect time to release a game with that tone and aesthetic. If the gameplay was half decent it probably would have sold gangbusters. Shame it never managed to get out there but at least Michael seems to have made his peace with it
I know Dave Devries. He would come to our local university and do lectures in the art department. He’s where I learn about four horsemen. He’s awesome. Fantastic artist and a great guy.
It takes a big man to know when to bury his passion and move on. Best of luck in all your future endeavours, Michael.
To see a game with so much potential go through all these layers of disaster is definitely heartbreaking, but it goes to show that, you can be passionate with a project as much as you want, but that almost never amounts to much if faced with difficulties out of your control. Or, you know, it really could be a curse.
This might be the most 2000s-looking game ever. I can see heavy inspiration from Max Payne, Devil May Cry, God of War and The Matrix all rolled into one.
Honestly the story and gameplay remind me a lot of Legacy of Kain: Defiance, which I still consider one of the top ten best games of the PS2. What a rare story of a game with solid mechanics, innovative technology, and an all-star creative team falling apart simply because the company ran out of money.
@Narokkurai
9 ай бұрын
@@EvilDoresh And random spikes to impale your enemies on. I love combo-focused action games like Bayonetta and DMC, but I miss the brutal environmental attacks from games like Madworld, The Punisher, and even Sleeping Dogs.
@Grinnar
7 ай бұрын
@@Narokkuraithe banter with enemies with Kain's cadence is something we haven't seen since. Sarafan soldier: Surrender, fiend, and we will promise you an easy death. Kain: I could promise you the same, but it would be a *lie.*
You may have already heard about this, but Garfield: Bound For Home was a rather unfortunate cancelled game that recently made waves in the Garfield fan community. Essentially, it was a DS game that never came out despite being advertised in a few places, and apparently it was fairly far along in development. The fine folks over at the Garfield: Bound For Home Discord server were able to contact a few of the game's developers, but couldn't get any development files due to legal concerns. Sounds like it'd be right up your alley.
Matt's finally at the point where he's begun to deep dive on a critical retrospective on the failures of the Apocalypse we all face in the modern era. He's smacking down the hubris of the very divine forces which have led all mankind into a cycle of terrible wars, plagues, famines and death spirals. Is no one safe from his malefic gaze? Are we gonna hear about the beta phase before "Conquest" was replaced with "War"?
This is the kind of game that's right up any third-person action fans' alley. A mix of DMC and PoP Warrior Within is a game that I've been wanting for years.
One of those projects that didn't have problems resolved from their own issues, but the company itself being in the way out when you started production. At least the story was told, and did well, but unfortunately with no Lance Henricksen, Tim Curry pre-stoke, and Traci Lords, who needs more content you can legally see lol
"Traci Lords of uh.. BLADE fame" I see what you did there
Man Stan Winston was such a great guy. He saved my brother with health insurance when he had cancer. I miss working at his studio.
As a big fan of DMC1, I really was looking forward to this one. I remember searching for it years later, and not finding it. I saw 3DO went bankrupt, and assumed the game was an unfortunate casualty. Juudging by the video, i was sadly correct. As a request for a new video, Capcom released a Jojos bizarre adventure fighting game in the mid/late 90s. That spawned an OAV, and a movie, "Phantom Blood" that was made, but never released outside of Japan. Super Techno Arts, Capcom and A.P.P.P. chose to abandoned the franchise. I think this would make for a great topic for you.👍👍👍
@kittiekillah
8 ай бұрын
Where’s your source for the jojo stuff? Phantom Blood is just the name of part 1.
@kittiekillah
8 ай бұрын
oh nvm it’s just “obscure” because google fucking sucks
I look forward to every new episode. No matter how my week is going new episodes always makes things better.
NO WAY, HE FINALLY DID IT. I’ve been waiting for this!
...wait holy shit this is the game! Around mid 00s when YT still was in its very infancy, I've seen a GMV of whatever footage survived of this game set to Rammstein's Mein Hertz Brennt and it has been stuck in my head ever since; I would attempt to find either video or the game on an off throughout the years but always was unsuccessful, but now I can finally lay this mystery to rest (I'm assuming GMV itself is lost forever to the sands of time).
With the Four Horsemen, We all wanted to ride, But due to numerous unfortunate circumstances, The game's fate was chosen, and it sadly died. If I had known back in my days as a Gamecube fan that this awesome-looking game was once going to be a thing, I would have been excited to check it out...and then saddened that it never came our way.
@ereviscale3966
9 ай бұрын
Did you just write a poem about the video?
@kingalphawerewolf
9 ай бұрын
they did, and that's pretty neat.@@ereviscale3966
step 1. try to get garth ennis. step 2. fail. step 3. make the darkness anyway?
The protag gives real Jackie Estacado from 'The Darkness' vibes
It literally had everything, yet that wasn't enough to keep it from sinking. This truly was a tragic tale this time. Damn, feels bad man 😢
At least Abaddon found roles in other games like The Darkness 1&2, and Hatred. Which I guess no one's ever heard of because so many posers seem to only think of Nathan Explosion from Metalocalypse, who was modeled after George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher and Peter Steele.
It's situations like this where I wish I was a billionaire that could fund literally any project I wanted, because I would totally play this. Some of the character and enemy designs look really cool.
Bro looks like Jackie Estacado had a baby with the protag from Hatred
The protagonist apparently went on to found Deathklok.
@SiRenfield
4 ай бұрын
My immediate first thought was that he looked like Nathan yeah 😂. Although with the leather quote he could also be Not Important from Hatred
"Where the hell is Darksiders 4?" Amen to that brother.
It's a shame about the game itself, but its cool that the story itself was still able to be published in some way.
Kudos for making it through this whole presentation without making one "CANCELLING THE APOCALYPSE!" reference.
The style makes me think of a game featuring characters inspired from heavy metal bands
Man, I would've loved a game where you can play as Nathan Explosion.
Man this was an AWESOME game! It would have sold millions! Such a shame it never came to be! Nice work on speaking to Michael! Guy is really cool! Someday Four Horsemen will become the game it was meant to be! Exceptional work Matt!
So I was recently reminded of a game, I'm surprised you've not seemed to have covered; the "Oblivion Killer" Two Worlds. It seems like a game that had so much hype going for it, to release a game that's painfully average at best might have a very interesting story to tell.
@1stCallipostle
9 ай бұрын
I swear it came up in another episode...
This game sounds like my type of game. Sad it never got released. It probably would have been fun. And probably the only 3DO I'd ever own at this point that doesn't have the words "battle" & "tanx" in it, since i plan on getting those for n64 & maybe gbc at some point.
Man, i was a kid looking forward to this. My mom actually wanted to watch me play because of tim curry. I thought about it for the first time in years a few days ago so thank you for this matt
Yoooo, this game! I too used to just gawk at those screens on game spot back when I was a wee lad and getting pissed off it never got released. You seriously got to cover more cancelled games like this!
Damn bruh.. i remember being so excited for this game as a kid
Why Nathan Explosion from Metapolypse is doing here?
Sad story of a passionate creator. It always make me sad when dmc-like games die.
The design for the protag made me think the title was a misspelling, and the actual intent was "The Four Horsemen of the Metalocalypse".
Definitely should have named it John Madden’s Four Horseman of the Apocalypse.
As a big of early 2000's edgelord aesthetics, specially Simon Bisley, it is a shame this game never happened. Just from the screen shots I feel it would be on my top 10
You namedropped the first entry in the video, but the wider Battletanx series might make for an interesting story, especially if you can get another inside scoop at 3DO: The second game ended on a cliffhanger that was never resolved, and I'd love to hear how far a hypothetical third game might've ever gotten into development.
Man id love a collection of the Army Men games on modern platforms. I played the crap out of Sarge's Heroes back in the day
As the wrestling legend, Tully Blanchard, would say, Matt McMuscles is the symbol of excellence. Keep making compliations and the "What happun?" episodes, McMuscles. :)
Never heard of this game, but it looks like something I would have been really in to if it did come out. A shame it never happened. Maybe there's still some spark of hope it might get revived again? If the comic launched then that at least shows there's something out there with a track record to build on. It's kind of ironic that when the publisher closed down no one bid on the IP at the liquidation auction. The exact same thing happened with Darksiders when THQ shut down.
"Jessica was to be played by Traci Lords, of, uh, Blade fame." 😏
Gods, how many "Four Horsemen" games out there before Darksiders? We've had Apocalypse starring Bruce Willis, and now this?
@Mateus_Carvalho
9 ай бұрын
And none of them featuring Flair or Arn, fucking hell.
@ryanhoule4415
9 ай бұрын
With them as the central focus, very few but they are still in quite a number of games as either bonus/ side content or alluded to but they are mostly antagonists. Darksiders remains the only time they are protagonists.
Sad we got robbed from having such a cool looking game.
Omg! I too was obsessed with this game’s website back in the day (before it disappeared into development hell) I thought I was nuts for remembering it! Excellent video, Matt.
I want to thank you for making my favourite shows and channels on KZread and my cats love your videos too
I respect the restraint to not mention Apocalypse on PS1 when listing off games with the four horsemen.
This is so sad. The footage looks awesome. Great video as usual.
Funny enough the main character for Four Horsemen of the Apocolypse was reused as The Antagonist for 2015's Hatred.
The 3DO Company, the ultimate response to anyone who thinks Trip Hawkins is a genius.
NO. HEKN. WAY! 4:25 I actually own a shirt with that vary same DEATH artprint on it. it was on a shirt company called " skulbone ". so what I own, is concept art from this artist on this game!?
"Traci Lords of BLADE fame!" Lol
You made me so happy when I heard Sonic Mayhem playing in the background.
I was just as obsessed with this game. It gave off major Shadow Man vibes, which I was a huge fan of. This and Thrill Kill are the saddest never were's of gaming.
That looks like Nathan Explosion being the guy from Mystery of the Druids.
TFHA always struck me as the kind of game that would've been the dopest thing ever or the posterboy of video game magazines calling things a rip-off of Devil May Cry. It's a real shame we'll never know, but it's clear Michael Mendheim was really passionate about the project, so I'd like to think it would've been the former.
Diamonds are forever….and I just realized I am referring to the wrong Four Horsemen. Woooooooooooooo 4️⃣
Everything you said in the intro about being excited for this after egm article right up to the ball chain necklace was exactly my experience, too.
I own the comic book for this. I figured I had to support this as much as I could.
that Destruction Derby 2 soundtrack pull smacked me right across the face
No we DON’T have Darksiders at home.
I'm surprised this didn't lead to Darksiders from some of the story and designs
At least there's a comic out there that is still available digitally. I'm getting it when I find the time. Thanks for highlighting. I had never heard of this game until today.
Michael making an LLC just to buy his project to try to keep it alive is a Boss move with a capital B.
I have never heard of this game until this video and man what a shame that the idea has never been able to fully shine. The concept is super awesome and seems like something I would totally play!
Did they never mention Peter Steele? The thumbnail made me think this was some Type O Negative game
A good video. I remember reading after 3DO went out of business, that Midway was very close to publishing the game. They felt it would have fitted there games output/portfolio at the time.
Super interesting story, man.
Hey Matt, what if you did a series where you interviewed and presented the careers of legendary veterans of the videogame industry? Sort of how Ars Techica does with War Stories, but you follow one person and their career per video. Imagine walking through the careers of Warren Spector, Ken and Roberta Williams, Ken Levine, David Jaffe, people who deserve some love!
This is the first Wha Happun where I’ve never heard of the game.
I had never heard of this project and as the video went on I was 100% sure it was going to turn into Darksiders
Anyone remember the grinder on wii. Then it changed platforms and play style. Would love see that covered.
This looks awesome, would love to play this.
I've never wanted a What Happened feature to have another chance, more than this.
Well, at least the guy got to make his comic book in the end. He got something to show for all his work that he can be proud of, which is more than can be said for most of these canceled projects.
Matt! You need to do a "What Happened" on Hellgate London. And I mean the original release. I actually still have my copy when I bought it the first week it came out. Every few years I reinstall Hellgate Revival just to mess around with nostalgia again, although I admit it's more like drunken 3 am mistakes-were-made-questionable-health-rated-taco-bell tacos :D
Early 2000's me would have loved this game. Hell, current me would have thought it was cool.
11:00 ohhh shit, I hear a song from the Destruction Derby 2 soundtrack as the background music! Killer game, killer music and one of the few PS1 discs you could pop into your CD player and listen to the entire soundtrack (after skipping the ear-splitting data of track 1, that is).
When i read the title notification i was like is this a retrospective on darksiders 😂
I feel like we definitely missed out on the inevitable unlockable extra that would have been Abbadon's "Fred Durst" skin.
Great Stuff! As always!
Keep up the great work homie. One of the best video game series on the web for sure. Would you be interested in covering the light gun shooter arcade cabinets/games such as house of the dead, Area 51, crisis zone, etc? I miss the sounds of those gun arcades 🥲
@MattMcMuscles
9 ай бұрын
kzread.info/dash/bejne/ooOayMemoKrAZsY.html
@BAEGETA
9 ай бұрын
Oh shit nice!
10:52 holy shit, I think I saw that Famine model at a comic shop I used to regularly go to. The top hat, blue skin, and scales feels so familiar
Mendheim also created the concept document for Sunsoft's Superman on the Genesis
Marty McMuscleman , you GOTTA do a video on Spark Unlimited and their fumble on Turning Point: Fall of Liberty and Legendary. Such an ambitious conquest with phenomenal concepts in each of the projects which fell so damn hard
I was so hyped for this game back in the day
I was waiting right there with yuh for this one... Goddamn it looked so cool in the magazines at the time. I feel alotta of powerful indie studios would definitely pick this up now, devolver, nightdive. Someone 😅
Doesn't that sound like a badass name for a God of War clone or something?
For some reason all I can think of when I see the main character is "Nathan Explosion with guns"
this wouldve taken my attention and morphed my personality at 13
Oh this brings back memories as my 1st counsel as a kid was Sega Genesis which I got in 97 it came with 2 games mortal kombat 1 & tazmania even though I only asked 4 a skateboard 4 Xmas but didn't get a skateboard
With the tolls available today, I would've asked him, "Why not just make it yourself much like other games?" I mean, he said he has a beta after all. Plenty of games released a beta and built off of it.
@ereviscale3966
9 ай бұрын
Can't afford to pay employees with no money. Who is going to pay for production and distribution of discs? There were no digital downloads at the time for console and not much on P.C.
@1stCallipostle
9 ай бұрын
@@ereviscale3966Reminder though, the associated product that DID come out and subsequent attempt at revival was 2014. Crowdfunding was all the rage at the time.
god i love Saturdays this is my morning cartoons being old lol
It's really starting to sound like God just didn't want this game to get made.
There was a game back in the day that was published by Disney by the name of PURE. I'm sure not many give a shit about it but I fell in love with it and it never got any love because disney bought and closed the developer. It was a fantasy style ATV racing game. You can build your atv for racing or freestyle and you can even build a replica of what you own for the most part. Pure 2 was either being developed or was in serious talks when Disney decided to shut down the developer. When I found this out, I instantly realized why I was a cartoon network and nickelodeon kid growing up hahaha