This thread ties into my recent acquisition of the PC-Engine Duo-R, and all the 8-bit/16-bit(?) goodies I am sure to obtain. I figure I would like to keep the discussion off of HuCards (I have some Namcot, but will probably end up getting a Turbo-ED for most of them), and shmups (since there are plenty of topics about that on this forum).
So what does that leave? The rest! Not necessarily the digital comics, the visual collections, and the mahjong games, because I do not speak Japanese or care about those things.
But the rest of the rest!
CLICK ON THE TITLE TO JUMP TO A MINI-REVIEW!
I will try to update with a review every time I beat a game.
Current Collection:
- Brandish (Nihon Falcom) - Dungeon-Crawling RPG
- Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (Konami) - Action Platformer
- Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams (Hudson, Success) - Shmup
- Dungeon Explorer II (NEC) - Dungeon Crawler/Action RPG
- Efera and Jiliora: The Emblem from Darkness (Brain Grey) - Top-Down Action-Adventure RPG
- Gate of Thunder (Hudson Soft, Red) - Shmup
- Image Fight II: Operation Deep Striker (IREM) - Shmup
- J.B. Harold Mystery Series #1: Murder Club (Riversoft) - Adventure
- Kaze no Densetsu: Xanadu II (Nihon Falcom) - Action RPG
- Last Alert (Red) - Overhead Shooter
- Magicoal (Hunex) - Top-Down Action-Adventure RPG
- Mugen Senshi Valis (Telenet) - Sidescrolling Action
- Moonlight Lady (NEC Avenue) - Top-Down Action-Adventure RPG
- Popful Mail - A Magical Adventure (Nihon Falcom) - Sidescrolling Action RPG
- Rainbow Islands (Taito) - Platformer
- Summer Carnival '93: Nexzr Special (Kaneko) - Shmup
- Super Darius II (NEC Avenue, Taito) - Shmup
- Valis III (LaserSoft, Telenet) - Sidescrolling Action
- Valis IV (LaserSoft, Telenet) - Sidescrolling Action
Games I've Tossed:
- Browning (Telenet) - Sidescrolling Mech Action/Pure Garbage
- CHŌ JIKŪ YŌSAI MACROSS 2036 (Masaya/KLON) - Shmup
- Dekoboko Densetsu (Telenet) - Racing Game/Pure Garbage
- Exile aka XZR II (Telenet, Working Designs) - Sidescrolling Action RPG
- Forgotten Worlds (Capcom, NEC) - Shmup
- Fiend Hunter (Right Stuff) - Sidescrolling Action Platformer
- Gensou Tairiku Auleria (Taito, Winky Soft) - Sidescrolling Action RPG
- Gotzendiener (Gainax, Studio Alex?) - Isometric puzzle/adventure
- Gradius II: Gofer no Yabou (Konami) - Shmup
- Hellfire S: The Another Story (NEC Avenue, Toaplan) - Shmup
- Hihou Densetsu: Kris no Bouken (Arc Co. Systems) - Sidescrolling Action Platformer
- Horror Story (NEC Avenue, Toaplan) - Shmup/Run-n-Gun
- Iga Ninden Gao (Nichibutsu) - Sidescrolling Action Platformer
- Kaizo Choujin Shubibinman 3: Ikai no Princess (Masaya) - Sidescrolling Action
- Kaze no Densetsu: Xanadu (Nihon Falcom) - Action RPG
- L-Dis (Masaya/KLON) - Shmup
- MotoRoader MC (Masaya) - Racing
- Mystic Formula (Micro Cabin) - Overhead Shooter
- Psychic Storm (Telenet, Alfa Systems) - Shmup
- Super Darius (NEC Avenue, Taito) - Shmup
- Travel Eple (Riot/Telenet) - Arena Battle/Pure Garbage
- Seirei Senshi Spriggan (Compile) - Shmup
- Sorcerian [Dragon Slayer 5] (Nihon Falcom, Victor Musical Industries) - Action RPG
- Valis II (LaserSoft, Telenet) - Sidescrolling Action
- Wonderboy III: Monster Lair (Hudson, Westone) - Shmup/Platformer
- Xak - I&II (Micro Cabin, Riot) - Action/Adventure RPG
- Xak Gaiden: Fray in Magical Adventure (Micro Cabin) - Overhead Action, light shmup elements
- XZR: Exile II - Janen no Jishou (Telenet) Sidescrolling Action RPG/Pure Garbage
- Ys: Books I & II (Nihon Falcom, USA) - Action RPG
- Zero Wing (NEC Avenue, Toaplan) - Shmup
This has been a pretty solid lineup, with Ys I/II by far and away taking the lead in terms of fun factor and quality. However, there are surprises from Exile and Valis III, though they have their share of design flaws.
I decided to jump into some non-native friendly RPG fare, hoping that the games were good enough to justify my not understanding the story. In this regard there are games like Xak I&II, Legend of Xanadu, and Auleria (it looked too interesting to not try out). I am taking a gamble with this and might end up selling them if I find them so incomprehensible or unavailing; some have been easy with only light consultation with a FAQ (Xak I&II), while others feel incomprehensible (Xanadu).
I was wondering if anyone had more experience with these types of action games/action RPGs. I am currently looking into:
Efera & Jiliora (Brain Grey)
-Brothers Duomazov can't get enough of this one, and it looks sort of interesting, but a little drab and the Niconico videos don't entirely impress with a lot of walking and a seemingly stilted combat. I could be wrong.
Moonlight Lady (?)
Almost no info about this one, other than that it is an action RPG.
To keep this thread not entirely devoid of worthwhile content (a hard feat!), I will try on my part to assess these games as I play, beat (or at least play enough if not good!) to see if they are worth anyone else's time, seeing as in general decent reviews of these old PCE-CD games are hard to come by (and are usually worryingly positive - e.g. Valis Visual Collection: 93%!!!). I've beaten about half of the list above, and have at least some opinions on what these games did right and did not do right.
I welcome any and all members to contribute, sharing their joys (and miseries) - as long as they are strictly related to the PC-Engine.