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Mad Stalker: Full Metal Force - マッドストーカー フルメタルフォース [CD] [JP ONLY]
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Review by:
kitten
A pretty mediocre single-plane mech brawler that requires the somewhat pricey arcade card to give a shot to. This is the only version of the game I've played, but it's
very different from the (seemingly totally remade) PS1 game and quite possibly worse than the X68k version, as well. Sticky, simple combat that there's just not a whole lot to do with, honestly. The production values ensure that it's not trash, but it's not at all the worth the price to play, these days.
[RATING
2/4] [NO REPLAY]
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Makyo Densetsu - 魔境伝説 (AKA: The Legendary Axe) [HUCARD] [US OR JP]
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Review by:
kitten
One of the most commonly talked about action games for the PC Engine in the west due to its release over there, Makyo Densetsu is a mostly stellar action title very much worthy of the attention it tends to receive. Rigid, precision action and responsive controls with a moderate-to-high challenge level keep this both fun to come back to for casual plays and tantalizing to master. It's held back a little bit by the overlong final stage and its numerous branches, as well as some repetitive late-game scenarios, however. More thoughts in replay description.
[RATING
3/4] [
1LC & REVIEW]
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Marchen Maze - メルヘンメイズ [HUCARD] [JP ONLY]
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Review by:
kitten
Based on the arcade game of the same name, but sporting unique enough play and content that it counts more as its own thing, Marchen Maze is a great little multi-direction shooter by Namco where you control their version of Alice from Alice in Wonderland. Don't be fooled by the cutesy looks, this is a surprisingly hardcore shooter with a high challenge level that will take several plays to get down. Its delightful atmosphere and overall superb presentation make this a personal favorite, but heck, it's mean! Tips available in replay description.
[RATING
3/4] [
1CC & REVIEW]
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Mesopotamia - メソポタミア (AKA: Somer Assault) [HUCARD] [US OR JP]
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Review by:
kitten
A frankly abysmal action-maze game where you control a slinky. Despite an excellent presentation that's par for the course on Atlus games, this is dire as far as action games go. Power-ups are distributed very randomly (yet the speed one is required to finish many levels on time), damage often seems unavoidable, and enemies frequently despawn from the screen or seem to not spawn at all. Controls are a bit awkward, too.
[RATING
1/4] [NO REPLAY] [ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS
[1]]
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Metal Stoker - メタルストーカー [HUCARD] [JP ONLY]
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Review by:
it290
Face's
Metal Stoker is a top-down tank shooter in the same spiritual mold as Wolf Team's
Granada or Namco's
Assault, yet remains distinct from either. Driving a futuristic assault vehicle, the player must navigate mazes of challenges and enemies with a versatile array of weaponry and the ability to alternate between fixed and 8-way directional fire. The game's pacing remains consistent throughout, although its difficulty curve sometimes fluctuates wildly. Satisfying if somewhat workmanlike graphics complement excellent music (sometimes dynamic!) as the player makes their way through this quintessentially idiosyncratic 90's game.
[RATING
3/4] [NO REPLAY]
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Review by:
kitten
A multidirectional, seek 'n destroy type shooter that suggests a methodical approach with solid tactical backing. The most obvious comparison I could make would be to Wolf Team's Granada, though the pacing and general feel of the game is quite a bit different. Being developed by Sankindo and published by Face, expectations might be low, but this is easily one of the best titles they produced and a worthy addition to your PC Engine library.
[RATING
3/4] [
HARD MODE 1CC & REVIEW]
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Mugen Senshi Valis: The Legend of a Fantasm Soldier - 夢幻戦士ヴァリス [CD] [JP ONLY]
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Review by:
kitten
The fourth and final Valis installment on the PC Engine is a remake of the first game and the only game in the series to receive the Super CD treatment. Sporting what's easily the best production values of the four games, Mugen Senshi Valis features some surprisingly dashing spritework but
once again fails to polish its mechanics beyond average. Fans of the cheesecake series will likely find as much to love about this game as they did the previous games (or more, honestly), but even this couldn't save the series from frankly failing to be truly good.
[RATING
2/4] [NO REPLAY]
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Mystic Formula - ミスティックフォーミュラ [CD] [JP ONLY]
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Review by:
kitten
A top-down, multi-directional shooter with a solid bit of anime flair. Though it's got more than a couple of bumps and lacks a bit in substance, the charm of playing through a miniaturized anime in shooter format is absolutely not without its merits. The pacing is rather smooth and the shooting is tight enough that it isn't totally without mechanical chops, though some characters really aren't really worth playing and the background art is occasionally weirdly lacking. The story is purely in Japanese, but it's pretty easy to piece together what is happening and enjoy the atmosphere rather heartily. Has a simultaneous two-player mode, too!
[RATING
3/4] [
HARD MODE 1CC & REVIEW]
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Nekketsu Koko Dodgeball Bu: PC Bangai Hen - 熱血高校ドッジボール [HUCARD] [JP ONLY]
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Review by:
kitten
The one Kunio dodgeball game on the PC Engine, and I love it. Despite a relatively simple range of modes and basic play leaving some of the berth of content a bit barebones, this is mechanically tight as hell and a pure joy to play. Extremely fast-paced and brutal, but this is one of those games so involved that I end up making motions along with the controller inputs. Very highly recommended despite the simplicity, and don't forget to play it with a pal!
[RATING
3/4] [NO REPLAY]
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Neutopia - ニュートピア フレイの章 [HUCARD] [US OR JP]
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Review by:
Steamflogger Boss
The PCE's answer to The Legend of Zelda. It's remarkably similar so if you like TLOZ this is definitely a game you should play. If you are like me and don't love wandering around and having to figure out things that aren't immediately obvious then ymmv. Once you know the game it's fairly short. I would say a typical first playthrough is 5.5-6 hours and subsequent runs should be 2 hours or less.
[RATING
2/4] [NO REPLAY]
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Ninja Ryukenden - 忍者龍剣伝 [HUCARD] [JP ONLY]
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Review by:
BIL
Hardcore fans of the Famicom cult classic will be turned off in
a long, death-by-a-thousand-cuts procession of small flaws. Newcomers will wonder why the game has hardcore fans in the first place. Both will endure astonishingly poor attempted parallax, a skittery, tuneless soundtrack, and charmless ClipArt emulations of the original's compact, sharply-detailed sprites.
In isolation, it is merely middling; curious PCE fans wanting more should forget this, and instead play not only the FC original, but its sequels and the bevy of similarly rugged action/platformers which remain the platform's speciality to this day.
[RATING
2/4] [NO REPLAY]
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Review by:
Sumez
If you like Ninja Gaiden, but wish it had shittier controls, worse graphics, and seizure inducing attempts at doing parallax scrolling, then this game is for you.
At its heart, Ninja Gaiden is still a good game, and if the original Famicom game didn't exist, this might even possibly be perceived as a good? Comparing it to the original, however, there is no shortage of offenses offered by this port.
Generally much more expensive than any known version of the NES or Famicom cart, I see no reason to subject yourself to this unless you're really, really curious and don't like yourself much.
[RATING
2/4] [NO REPLAY]
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Obocchama-kun - おぼっちゃまくん [HUCARD] [JP ONLY]
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Review by:
kitten
Based on an anime/manga that was popular at the time (by an author who went somewhat obscure after a super right-wing manga he did
rife with historical revisionism), Obocchama-kun is a kind-of decent platformer full of potty humor that's worth a quick play or two, but not much more.
[RATING
2/4] [NO REPLAY]
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Out Run - アウトラン [HUCARD] [JP ONLY]
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Review by:
Steamflogger Boss
A solid conversion of the best arcade racer ever made. Tunes are great and all there. Visuals aren't amazing but are as good as you could hope for on this console. Not the premier version but worth a go for PCE and/or Outrun enthusiasts. Definitely the best game of this type on the PCE.
[RATING
3/4] [NO REPLAY]
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Override - オーバーライド [HUCARD] [JP ONLY]
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Review by:
BIL
Solid Compile-esque STG for the style's
premiere console. Lacking
Soldier Blade or
Super Star Soldier's fiery expert modes, it's nevertheless brisker than average with short, busy stages. Tricky weapons and rugged ground targets well-poached from
Image Fight and
Tatsujin. Ground-based, terrain-heavy endgame distinguishes it further.
Sadly misses its true potential. Life stock is indulgent, though veterans will quickly self-regulate; worse is the lack of compelling upper difficulties, leaving its almighty charge-shot bereft of targets. Nevertheless, genre enthusiasts with affection for the Compile school will enjoy this minor highlight. Though untested by this reviewer, X68000 remake
Last Battalion bears mentioning here.
[RATING
3/4] [NO REPLAY]
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Paranoia - パラノイア (AKA: Psychosis) [HUCARD] [US OR JP]
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Review by:
kitten
An average shooter with a very, very marginally above-average presentation. Tries to ride hard on its weirdness, but starts to fall a little flat by the second stage and feels like it didn't quite do what it wanted to. The PC Engine doesn't lack for shooters, and there's not a lot here to make this one special. Make sure you buy the Japanese version if you pick it up so you can get shot the bird by the game's little mascot gremlin!
[RATING
2/4] [NO REPLAY]
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Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble 3 - パラソルスタ - The Story of Bubble Bobble III [HUCARD] [US OR JP]
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Review by:
Sumez
Taito's second attempt at reinventing the Bubble Bobble formula is no less interesting than the three earlier games in the series, introducing the parasol as both a weapon and a defensive measure.
Feels like it could and should have been a genuine arcade game, but a few twists makes it clearly suited as a console title. The first four or five stars are very easy, and the scoring system is kind of broken. It is really too bad that a real arcade version never came out, but that doesn't keep this one from still being super fun to play, and the happy music and huge and colorful sprites really showcases Taito at their strongest in terms of production value.
[RATING
4/4] [NO REPLAY]
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Parodius Da! -Shinwa kara Owarai e- - パロディウスだ! -神話からお笑いへ- [hucard or cd here] [region here]
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Review by:
kitten
Though the Konami production values are absolutely in full swing and this game boasts some incredible visuals, solid controls, and quality craftsmanship - I can't help but feel it's a bit too mean and a bit too obsessed with silliness to really hold a candle to the "real" Gradius games. Some characters feel much too weak while others feel too strong, levels are full of "gotcha" traps, and the notorious roulette feels like it exists solely to tank your runs out of the blue. Never played the arcade version, but this home port feels like a very high quality interpretation.
[RATING
2/4] [NO REPLAY]
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PC Denjin - Punkic Cyborgs - PC電人 Punkic Cyborgs (AKA: Air Zonk) [HUCARD] [US OR JP]
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Review by:
it290
One of the most inventive shooters of the 16bit era, Air Zonk sees the titular Zonk blasting through a half dozen-odd zany levels accompanied by a squad of unlikely companions ranging from a garbage truck to a cow; in his ultimate form Zonk can merge with these buddies to unleash chaos. Powerup selection, order, and timing are key here as although the game is lenient, once things go downhill they do so fast. Rollicking music and color parallax graphics (unusual for the platform) put this leagues ahead of its CD sequel.
[RATING
4/4] [NO REPLAY]
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PC Genjin - PC原人 (AKA: Bonk's Adventure) [HU/CD] [JP/US]
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Review by:
Steamflogger Boss
CD in the US only. As an aside, that CD is still one of the best values on the console. Hudson's answer to other platforming mascots. This falls in the middle for me, much more enjoyable than any Sonic game on the Genesis but it's no SMB3. Good controls but just what I would call acceptable graphically. A game that no PC Engine owner should be without!
[RATING
3/4] [NO REPLAY]
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PC Genjin 2 - PC原人2 (AKA: Bonk's Revenge) [HU/CD] [JP/US]
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Review by:
Steamflogger Boss
CD in the US only. Better visually than the first and takes a slightly different approach to gameplay, opening up a bit more and has plenty of secrets to find. Same tight controls and the music is really good. Bonk peaks here. Final note: this is the first game that has made me wish there were half points in the scoring. This is better than PC Genjin but that game isn't a 2 and this isn't a 4.
[RATING
3/4] [NO REPLAY]
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PC Genjin 3 - PC原人3 (AKA: Bonk's Big Adventure) [HU/CD] [JP/US]
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Review by:
Steamflogger Boss
CD in the US only (what a recurring theme!). The weakest of the Bonk games. Why you ask? It's simply too long. The first two will have first time players that are decent clocking in at around an hour while this game is closer to 2. Another issue is that super sizing yourself doesn't really offer anything in regards to gameplay, it's just there to look cool. Going small on the other hand is required for gaining access to some areas. All in all, only play this if you can't get enough caveman in your life.
[RATING
2/4] [NO REPLAY]
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Pyscho Chaser - サイコチェイサー [HUCARD] [JP ONLY]
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Review by:
kitten
A vertical shooter by... Sting?? The SRPG people? Features a cyborg who moves very slowly and has an agonizingly large hitbox. Stages are long and mean and recovery is a nightmare because of the slow movement, the necessity of speed-ups, and random power-up drops. Though the presentation on this one is an easy winner and it's perhaps worth a go on that front, the afforementioned reasons and slightly poor weapon suite that requires frequent, awkward cycling have me unenthusiastic about a strong recommendation.
[RATING
2/4] [NO REPLAY] [ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS
[1] (Click Spoiler)]
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