What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

[BIL]

Started playing Death Stranding last night, but was too tired to play beyond the prologue. According to whom you ask, it's either, the ultimate pleb filter or a glorified deliveryman simulator with a pretentious sci-fi story. The game has tremendous production values, I'll give it that, but I will never get Kojima's obsession with casting Hollywood actors in his games. I thought Kiefer Sutherland was fine in MGSV, but he was way too underutilized in that game

I've never forgiven Kojima for stiffing John Carpenter outta his starring credit in MGS4.

[it290]

I would totally watch John Carpenter's Metal Gear. You're right though, Kojima certainly owes several debts of gratitude to the man and if nothing else he should have asked John and Cody if they'd do the honors of scoring Death Stranding.

[BurlyHeart]

Got my 1cc with Ninja in Ninja Saviors. It was a breeze, though I very nearly died to the first boss! Fun game, with a character that really feels overpowered (which makes it fun imo). Time was just over 3,000 seconds, which is largely terrible I've been led to believe. Big fan of grapplers, so super looking forward to playing as Raiden.

Also whilw I'm not a big into PSN trophy collecting, I had a look at the game's trophies and they're superb. Exactly what developers should be using the system for imo.

[BIL]

I love that they not only referenced the OG soundtrack with MURDER MACHINE, (sub-3000sec clear), there's also... MAD MURDER MACHINE (sub-2500).

[it290]

Playing through Shining Force 3: Scenario 1 (US version). I've owned this game for probably 15 years at this point but have never properly gotten past the first few sections, despite being a huge fan of the series and having finished 1, 2, and CD multiple times. This game definitely suffers from being an early 3D title, but the tactical combat is all there, the writing is pretty good, the music is excellent and (apart from the 3D stuff) the art direction is all there. The battle scenarios innovate on the earlier titles in interesting ways and the world and characters are pretty cool (although I find the PCs a bit bland compared to 1 and 2). It still has that addictive 'just one more battle' quality, and I definitely plan on tackling the other two scenarios if this one goes well. Surprisingly, this is the first time I've ever tried the game on a flat panel display, and running it through the OSSC has impressed me with just how good the Saturn's RGB output is—absolutely zero noise or problems of any sort, and pretty much looks indistinguishable from a native digital signal.

also, interesting factoid: I bought this game directly from Sega of America's website (disc only) back when they were still clearing out old Saturn stock so my disc is absolutely minty. Was lucky enough to pick up a few other titles that way as well, including a complete (new) Shining the Holy Ark.

[kitten]

got my feet wet with the outer worlds, and it's really good, so far! i'm very rarely in the mood for a game like this, but i'd been craving something like new vegas again and this is scratching that itch - minus marty robbins playing on the game radio, of course. i'm not feeling this game's score at all.

like with new vegas, i don't think i'd enjoy this game almost at all on pure mechanics (fallout 3 is one of the most miserable games i've ever played, as testament to this), but the writing and characters elevate it to something much greater and make the grind and tedium have enough purpose to actually make them worthwhile.

[Marc]

Hmm, I'm a lot less enthusiastic about Resi 2 since raincoat man showed up. Seems a complete lottery where he'll show, and having him spawn after I've legged it from a licky thing into a room with only one other exit is not fun. I distinctly remember 3 being the first one I bounced off for precisely this reason. I'll probably press on, but he's kind of ruined the atmos for me.

Rygar is the shit. It feels completely bad-ass every time you drag yourself out of a pickle with a few well-timed shots and air stomps. It reminds me a lot of Kung-Fu Master (why no ACA?) in that it's just so snappy, precise, and pure in what it does. Still struggling to complete more than a dozen stages on one credit, but the mistakes I'm making are stupid shit due to my own inattention.

[BIL]

Kung-Fu Master (why no ACA?)

I know right Legal snafus, I'd guess, with the JP version (Spartan X) being based on the titular Japanese release of a Hong Kong film (Wheels on Meals), starring Jackie Chan and other leading martial arts movie stars. Easy to imagine that spiralling into a fractal of utter legal fuck.

But I also wonder, somewhat optimistically, if they're just pacing themselves. Some other big names remain conspicuously absent, like Rastan and Rainbow Islands*, and R-Type I & II assuming Dimensions hasn't gummed that up somehow. Given the quality of their output, and their established pattern of legendary stuff popping up amidst relative obscurities, my hope is they'll get around to most of them eventually.

Spartan X did make it onto the old PS/SS IREM Arcade Classics disc, so it can't be flat-out impossible if licensing is indeed what's holding it up. Instant purchase if it ever shows up. Got Moon Patrol for now at least!

*I know that one's got infamously lawsuit-baiting BGM, but ACA Bomb Jack managed just fine, bless it.

I managed to avoid Rygar all my life until last month, despite sidescrolling action/platforming being my first and likely last gaming love. It's been amazing seeing pretty much everything I value in the Famicom's hardcore sidescrollers - simple punchy mechanics, efficiently compact sprites, and super airtight handling - in a coinop coinciding with the original Castlevania's release year. What particularly impresses me are the coexistence of 1HKOs and heaving enemy onslaughts - I don't mind taking a beating if a game is good, but your character is so hyper-maneuverable it never feels especially cruel, just intense. You can pull off some utterly crazy shit with enough aggression and dexterity. It helps that the majority of stuff can be 1HKOd right back with a lash of the chain or a head-smashing stomp.

This be DECAPITATION BOP motherfucker!

Spoiler

Was looking forward to trying this one out for years on emphatic's recommendations, didn't disappoint. Even works as a straightforwardly compelling scoring game, not the easiest thing to find in scrolling action.

[Mischief Maker]

Note that NES Rygar is a whole different animal, having an overworld mechanic similar to Zelda 2.

[BIL]

Indeed, I was fond of it as a kid and rediscovered it on Famicom relatively recently - I still enjoy it a lot, as one of those "single sitting ARPGs" ala Blaster Master/Metafight. Having finally tried out the AC game I can see why hardcore fans might've been aghast, but it's good for what it is. Amusingly (or frustratingly for some, I'm sure) it controls just as snappily as the AC game, just in a drastically less rampant roaming format.

ala Bionic Commando aka Top Secret: HITLER NO FUKKATSU, it's one of those games that had an arcade-identical title on NES, but was clearly meant to be a stand-alone, subtitled home entry on Famicom (Hachamecha Daishingeki, which I insist on calling "BALLS-OUT FANTASTIC MANEUVER")

As for me, oh heck no!



I am BACK IN THE HELL AGAIN



*PRIMAL SCREAM* (KUBRICK INTENSIFIES)

It's been a long time, old one. FAR TOO LONG. Let's get our wild guns on, before our enemy informant is hit by a sniper.

[Stevens]

Spider Man PS 4

It's o.k.

I play it in short bursts when I want something brainless. Kudos on including an option to skip cut scenes. Naturally the graphics and music are great. The combat is meh. Mash button, dodge, mash button, dodge.

Nothing ground breaking in terms of game play. Go here, do things, go there and do slightly similar things.

However the web swinging is tits. It is implemented so well that while playing it I started thinking of how awesome a new Bionic Commando would be..

End of the day it is probably better than I am saying it is, as these types of games generally aren't my thing.

Hence why I hang out here I suppose.

[BIL]

OH HELL NO
WHY DO IT HAVE 2 B THIS WAY

HIT THEM IN THEIR SLEEP

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zgSFGkTf_g

Still got it. Relentless hardcore Cabalesque x NAMsploitation par very goodness. Hyperaggressive dash mechanic is radder than I recalled and goddamn the death animations are grim all-around. Poor VCs screaming and BUNNING. Poor player dude puking blood and crashing to his knees. Poor FUCKING COMBINE HARVESTER FROM HELL CRUSHED MY BONES IN CITY OF DUST. Thursday night is ruined!

[TransatlanticFoe]

Hmm, I'm a lot less enthusiastic about Resi 2 since raincoat man showed up. Seems a complete lottery where he'll show, and having him spawn after I've legged it from a licky thing into a room with only one other exit is not fun. I distinctly remember 3 being the first one I bounced off for precisely this reason. I'll probably press on, but he's kind of ruined the atmos for me.

He will always wander off if you're in a safe place (save rooms and S.T.A.R.S. office). The rest of the time he wanders seemingly randomly but will respond to sight and sound. It pays to always have an exit route (don't leave shit alive if you don't want to be surprised by it later on!) and listen out for his footsteps. I've accidentally walked into a room as he was in there but he didn't spot me - pays to be quiet and break line of sight! You can also usually lose him by running through a couple of rooms, as long as you stay quiet (no shooting stuff or triggering an enemy to scream at you).

Likewise lickers are blind and will wander around a bit if you get backed imto a room - usually you can tiptoe by or leg it past them through another door.

In the A scenarios, Mr. X is barely in the game but is pretty much in play from the start in the B scenarios. It can be a bit annoying if you get backed into a corner and it seems that every time you leave the safe room, he's still just around the corner - but 90% of the time I found it worked in favour of the atmosphere. At one stage in Leon B I carelessly opened a door right into him. Turned and legged it, through a room I thought was safe but immediately heard a licker. Shit. Run. Door! Zombie got me just before I made it through but I had a knife equipped and got away. Through the door... phew that fucker in the trench coat hadn't followed me and I was just down a knife. Hell of a rush. Game was worth the admission price for that moment alone.

Shame the B scenario is basically the same as A once you leave the police station - so the second half of the game is much less tense, as everything is pretty much in the same place as it was before.

[it290]

Still got it. Relentless hardcore Cabalesque x NAMsploitation par very goodness. Hyperaggressive dash mechanic is radder than I recalled and goddamn the death animations are grim all-around. Poor VCs screaming and BUNNING. Poor player dude puking blood and crashing to his knees. Poor FUCKING COMBINE HARVESTER FROM HELL CRUSHED MY BONES IN CITY OF DUST. Thursday night is ruined!

Ugh, I gotta get this for my Neo. I've played a few credits here and there, but this is one of those classics that I've never properly sunk time into. Given my love of Wild Guns I think I'd be right at home.

[BIL]

Same, pretty much - put some time on it ages ago, always meant to return at some point, particularly after lots of Wild Guns during the interim. Its dodge roll stuck in my mind - I think this was my first exposure to the concept. Where 1943's loop was more of a panic bomb, this was just a basic, freely-usable escape whose very range was also its balance. NAM's take still holds up really well; I particularly like its pairing with a vulnerable but far more precise dash. You really don't want to abuse the roll when a quick dash will do! Boss design tends to be smartly aware of this:

Roll too early and enjoy the sound of your own skeleton being crunched like a goddamn Tic-Tac

Spoiler

Important to note, as shown by the harmless "roll hit" above - bullets don't register until they're practically at your character's beltline (making the brutal puking death collapse that much nastier). You can jockey around a lot of stuff that'd seem hopelessly tight otherwise. Smart design altogether, as it does rain down a fair bit.

The expected difficulty boost of coinop VS console aside, one detail instantly sets Nam apart from WG - indestructible bullets. WG's are the exception, NAM's are the norm - makes zako far more threatening. There's also the matter of telegraphing... besides the lack of visible enemy reticles, NAM's zako bullets are generally silent and nowhere as visually distinct as WG's. Far nervier game altogether, even ignoring the more intense enemy attack. I'd entertain this as part of the nightmarish Namsploitative atmosphere, only the game's one "sniping incident" involves a guy getting hosed down by an AK-wielding VC from behind a pillar a couple feet away.

WG indisputably owns NAM on one front: pyro.

Spoiler

There's none of Natsume's fiery screen-shaking largesse here; even the biggest stuff goes out unremarkably. It's not just for style, either... NAM's quieter front makes it harder to instantly tell when player and enemy attacks alike are active, or when your shots are hitting home or whiffing, etc. NAM's art design also suffers from its scrolling stages - acres of nondescript brown and green dilute the characterful sprites and awesomely cruel boss machines. Natsume had the right idea sticking to a couple detailed locations per stage, with the one scroller being a rushing train chase.

Early days yet. I didn't twig that BUNZU-chan's fire syncs to yours until making this gif!

Spoiler

OTOH, NAM has the ghoulish death animations on player and enemies alike. They'd probably clash with WG's cheerier, goofier tone but they fit this nightmarish pulpy NAMsploitative atmosphere to a T. This would've also made a great Terminator license with those wicked bone-crushing, biohazard-disgorging boss machines.

Having only recently played Ikari for the first time, while also getting back up to speed with Metal Slugs 1/X/3, the presence of limited ammo leapt out. NAM's stages have that familiar MS learning curve, where at first you'll be hoarding grenades and struggling to fight off masses of large enemies, until gradually finding equilibrium and carving a cacophonous swathe through the hordes. Gonna stick with this one for the weekend. Mostly. Kind of. Too many games, good problem to have.

[Sumez]

You guys need to show Blood Bros. some love.

[BIL]

Yeah I know. I've hardly even played Cabal itself!

[Sumez]

Cabal is safely skippable in comparison. Blood Bros. takes the rote boring (and frankly quite easy for an arcade game) repetition from Cabal, turns everything up to 11, makes almost everything destructible, and adds tons of little things you can do to get extra points.

[BIL]

WTF, here I am talking about Bomb Jack's Lady Madonna woes and I was playing ACA Ninja Ryukenden all morning. Iron Man got the chop - the stage BGM continues playing into the fight with THE (TOTALLY NOT) ROAD WARRIORS. No sab 4 u! That's what you get for preferring Paranoid's madly overplayed Side A! Get some ELECTRIC FUNERAL and HAND OF DOOM, you fucks!

But IDGAF, because I can finally enjoy this game thirty years after the Continue screen forever ruined my little boy brain. It sucks! I'm kidding comrade BLOODF! pls don't send me to gulag! Or if you must, at least give R2RKMF to Sumez so he can take up the mantle of Hated By Edmond The Mad. (I am kidding again! HG101 is the devil now! I think?)

This would seem to play how I wish Datsukgoku (FC) did. As there, this is more boxing than brawling. Getting hit is mortally dangerous, and the first strike is typically decisive. Bludgeon enemies senseless off the initial jab, but holy fuck - if they tag you, you're getting kicked through a phone booth for 1/3rd HP. Unlike Datsu, stage design is varied and action-packed, with remarkably choreographic action for '88. I would say its speed and fluidity leave AC Double Dragon II in the dust, but that is not hard to do. Ryu kickflips off walls and swings from overhangs with the tiniest degree of automation - just enough to cement the feel of controlling a superhumanly potent fighter, without sacrificing player accountability. His combos display a similar nous for interactive cinema; his wheeling yet laser-precise punches and kicks are entertaining simply to observe, and apt reward given the deadly price of a failed frontal attack.

As I mentioned a few weeks back in R2RKMF, this game's knowing sense of fun seems madly under-reported. Everyone reps the X-TREEM Continue screen, but nobody talks about those wonderful stage intermissions or the lovably absurd Japanese Tourism PLUS MURDER concept.


LOL stop, ur givin me a boner

Bad move Mister Voorhees! ("Hotell!" Be tellin them hos! )

Spoiler

Stupid Sexy Hayabusa! ("INCERT COIN" )

Bad move again, Mister Voorhees! Shoulda packed a cleaver with that cosplay!

Spoiler

Yo the Continue screen is legendary but that HS table is pretty friggen rad too


What a refreshing change of pace after the SRS BUSINESS of the FC trilogy! I love them but goddamn, you need to lighten up sometimes and suplex a motherfucker off the roof.



Later bitch! "PLOT" (PLDT? PLEDATOR?) starring NOT AHNULD. I'm gonna headcanon this game as what Ryu gets up to when he's not starring in those "Tecmo Theater" movies. Ninja Ryukenden Gaiden. He even gave one of his NGII stunt doubles his 2P plane ticket! What a swell dude!

[Steamflogger Boss]

Playing through Shining Force 3: Scenario 1 (US version). I've owned this game for probably 15 years at this point but have never properly gotten past the first few sections, despite being a huge fan of the series and having finished 1, 2, and CD multiple times. This game definitely suffers from being an early 3D title, but the tactical combat is all there, the writing is pretty good, the music is excellent and (apart from the 3D stuff) the art direction is all there. The battle scenarios innovate on the earlier titles in interesting ways and the world and characters are pretty cool (although I find the PCs a bit bland compared to 1 and 2). It still has that addictive 'just one more battle' quality, and I definitely plan on tackling the other two scenarios if this one goes well. Surprisingly, this is the first time I've ever tried the game on a flat panel display, and running it through the OSSC has impressed me with just how good the Saturn's RGB output is—absolutely zero noise or problems of any sort, and pretty much looks indistinguishable from a native digital signal.

also, interesting factoid: I bought this game directly from Sega of America's website (disc only) back when they were still clearing out old Saturn stock so my disc is absolutely minty. Was lucky enough to pick up a few other titles that way as well, including a complete (new) Shining the Holy Ark.

I really enjoyed it, in fact I think it's certainly a lot better than SF1 and probably 2 as well. Unfortunately I wasn't able to finish it as something happened where the game kept glitching out at the same spot. It was either the final mission or the one before it... I think I tried a burn after, same glitch. I dunno really. I have a PAL copy now and I've been debating starting it over again but it really would be a lot of work to get back where I was.

[it290]

Take it you don't have your save anymore (no idea if they'd be compatible across versions)?

I will say that a couple times while playing my Saturn threw up a 'CD READ ERROR, CHECK LASER PICKUP' message on top of the game graphics which was weird—I've never seen one of those before and have no idea if it game from the game itself or the BIOS, but nothing in the game was detrimentally affected. I gave my lens a bit of the q-tip/isopropyl treatment and haven't had any issues since, also tried it on my backup Saturn and no issues there.

I've gotten a bit further in the game and I think I agree with you in that the plot and more importantly the depth of the tactical scenarios are superior to 1 and 2, although unlike in those games it's not always crystal clear what you're supposed to be doing (e.g. stage has endlessly respawning enemies but you're supposed to just exit the map, or the dialogue tells you to go run away from the enemy but you actually have to kill them to progress). That's a pretty minor complaint but the bigger (admittedly superficial) problem for me is that the art just lacks so much of the charm of the earlier games—even the 2D portraits are generally not quite as inspired:

SF3 Worm:


SF Worm:


I mean c'mon, no comparison really right? The 3D also interferes with your tactical understanding of the map and character visibility, even when you zoom out all the way (thank god they added at least some zoom, by no means expected for a game of this vintage). It's just kind of a shame that 3D was such a necessity at this time, because overall the game is great and if they had taken the 2D route I think it could have been something really incredible.

[guigui]

I mean c'mon, no comparison really right? The 3D also interferes with your tactical understanding of the map and character visibility, even when you zoom out all the way (thank god they added at least some zoom, by no means expected for a game of this vintage). It's just kind of a shame that 3D was such a necessity at this time, because overall the game is great and if they had taken the 2D route I think it could have been something really incredible.

I'm entirely with you on this. My whole childhood was about playing SF 1 and 2 on the Sega Megadrive, so I was more than excited when I put my hand on 3 on the Sega Saturn. Could not play for more than 2 hours because of the 3D stupidness.
Now what we need is a really motivated team able to program the SF3 scenarios and battles in the SF1/2 settings ?

[Xyga]

On that topic I was shocked lately on realizing shiningforcecentral are still updating their translation patch which is about to reach v21.
That's some dedication alright.

[ED-057]

The Touhou Scarlet Curiosity 東方紅輝心 demo from dlsite runs on Windows 2000, except there is some mojibake even with JP codepage.

Surprisingly, there appears to be an English version... but it's only on steam

[Steamflogger Boss]

Take it you don't have your save anymore (no idea if they'd be compatible across versions)?

I might still have my save. I doubt it's compatible but moreover I tried a 2nd Saturn and the iso I used was fine and not from my own old damaged disc. I still got the same error/bug out so I'm really not sure what to make of that.

I've gotten a bit further in the game and I think I agree with you in that the plot and more importantly the depth of the tactical scenarios are superior to 1 and 2, although unlike in those games it's not always crystal clear what you're supposed to be doing (e.g. stage has endlessly respawning enemies but you're supposed to just exit the map, or the dialogue tells you to go run away from the enemy but you actually have to kill them to progress). That's a pretty minor complaint but the bigger (admittedly superficial) problem for me is that the art just lacks so much of the charm of the earlier games—even the 2D portraits are generally not quite as inspired:

SF3 Worm:
SF Worm:

I mean c'mon, no comparison really right? The 3D also interferes with your tactical understanding of the map and character visibility, even when you zoom out all the way (thank god they added at least some zoom, by no means expected for a game of this vintage). It's just kind of a shame that 3D was such a necessity at this time, because overall the game is great and if they had taken the 2D route I think it could have been something really incredible.

I don't remember it being too bad, at least not any worse than most old strategy games but it's been years.

Completely agree on the 2D/3D thing. I'm sure they had to make it 3D as you said but it looks really goofy.

[Steamflogger Boss]

So I've been on the fence about Shenmue III. I started watching some Twitch streams and I am not sure what I was expecting but this is reaaaaally Shenmue and I don't think that's a good thing. They kept a ton of the clunk and made it very similar to the originals. Definitely waiting until it is about $10-15.

[it290]

The thing that I'm concerned with is whether or not it has that epic kung fu movie vibe of 2. I thought the original game was ok, but the second one just ramped up everything so much (the scene where you have to battle up a building to the rooftop being my favorite). The setting here makes me a little uneasy but I've been waiting for it for so long I don't think I'll be able to say no.

[Steamflogger Boss]

The thing that I'm concerned with is whether or not it has that epic kung fu movie vibe of 2. I thought the original game was ok, but the second one just ramped up everything so much (the scene where you have to battle up a building to the rooftop being my favorite). The setting here makes me a little uneasy but I've been waiting for it for so long I don't think I'll be able to say no.

Totally with you on liking the second game more. I've seen a lot of the opposite and I really don't get it. The ending sequence of the second game was a droll but other than that I enjoyed it more.

I'm definitely going to get III just not at $45-50+.

[Marc]

The thing that I'm concerned with is whether or not it has that epic kung fu movie vibe of 2. I thought the original game was ok, but the second one just ramped up everything so much (the scene where you have to battle up a building to the rooftop being my favorite). The setting here makes me a little uneasy but I've been waiting for it for so long I don't think I'll be able to say no.

Man that part was intense. I definitely prefer the second as a videogame, but the first just has such a sense of place, particularly if you happened to play it over Xmas time, as I originally did. I'm not sure whether to pick up the third game, I've a sneaking suspicion that the two originals might just be best left as fond memories.

[Queen Charlene]

outside of playing Tekken 7 competitively, i've been playing Zone of the Enders 2 again, and i also started practicing Vanquish again for fun. i've got a Bloodstained file that i need to start digging into again soon, but lately any time my consoles are turned on it's to play ZOE2 or Tekken.