What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

[gs68]

3D Space Harrier.

Controls translate well to touch screen, not so much on the Circle Pad or the godawful 3DSXL D-pad. Wish firing was done manually rather than any time the touch screen is registering input, though.

[null1024]

Omega Boost [PS1].

It's been a while. I'm dying at the fifth boss because I lost 2/3ds of my health down that spiral staircase and piping right before it.
jeez, this game is fucking great though

Since I have a nice, recent laptop, I can finally set up my ePSXe config to look nice. And damn, do things look nice.

[replayme]

Anarchy Reigns (XBox 360)
Bought the game for £4, and it's typical of most Platinum games. Bold, brash, yet ultimately hollow. It's an interesting diversion that was able to sustain my interest for about ten minutes, but playing it makes me realise why Platinum games depreciate so quickly in value. They're just fun arcade games (like the first party Sega games for Dreamcast) that leaving you feeling bored after 10 minutes, and Anarchy Reigns does little to convince me otherwise.

Still glad I bought it though, as it's one for the collection. And a game I'll probably never touch again.

Houses for courses I guess, but Sega's 'just' arcade games generally remain some of my most played and cherished games to this day. From a few of the comments you've made, I'm guessing you don't really get arcade gaming.

Trust me... I totally "get" arcade games. Final Fight is one of my favourite games of all time.

I just find the majority of Platinum's games to epitomise the "dumb but fun" line of thought. They're a nice diversion, but ultimately shallow in terms of what they offer.

I guess one of the main problems with Sega games in the era of the DC was that many of their arcade offerings didn't translate well to home environments. Platinum games suffer from the same problem - more so knowing that arcade games in general have declined (in popularity) over the years.

Platinum should maybe consider making games for handhelds/casuals only.

[Ed Oscuro]

Speaking of Sega's "Just Arcade Games," Gunblade New York & LA Machineguns works very nicely in Dolphin now, at least with a fast CPU and an AMD graphics card. I used to get slowdown, but perhaps thanks to the recent pinned memory update, they're gone - there's just a moment or two of slowdown at the start (which is usual for Dolphin - putting shaders together) but then the whole game is smooth. Haven't tried the second part again yet, but it should be more of the same.

[Sir Ilpalazzo]

Trust me... I totally "get" arcade games. Final Fight is one of my favourite games of all time.

I just find the majority of Platinum's games to epitomise the "dumb but fun" line of thought. They're a nice diversion, but ultimately shallow in terms of what they offer.

I guess one of the main problems with Sega games in the era of the DC was that many of their arcade offerings didn't translate well to home environments. Platinum games suffer from the same problem - more so knowing that arcade games in general have declined (in popularity) over the years.

Platinum should maybe consider making games for handhelds/casuals only.

Shallow compared to...what, exactly? If you're the kind of person who believes that modern games in general are inferior to older games...well, I disagree with that, but whatever. But how many games released in the last few years on consoles can stand up there with Bayonetta and Vanquish? If those games are "dumb" then I have to wonder what you consider "smart". And how exactly would those games benefit by being on handhelds or, worse yet, phones?

[replayme]

I don't know man... I never understood the appeal of Bayonetta in the face of Ninja Gaiden and God of War.

Personally, I think Platinum's games could do better on handhelds (Vita etc) - just because those devices lend themselves to quick bursts of play. And because the production values being lower would yield more profit.

[Mischief Maker]

I could swear I've posted it here before, but this game review is a mandatory viewing before making a final decision on Anarchy Reigns:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaui8-cVVHQ

[BareKnuckleRoo]

I don't know man... I never understood the appeal of Bayonetta in the face of Ninja Gaiden and God of War.

I've never played any of the 3D Ninja Gaiden games, but Bayonetta's combat system is vastly more flexible and interesting to play with than God of War's. You get so many different combat options and abilities to mess around with that you're never forced into using just one move to deal with a section. It's an amazingly deep combat system that you won't appreciate if you've never put any time into acquiring all of the weapons available and playing on the only difficulty mode that really matters, Non-Stop Infinite Climax.

[null1024]

Wipeout 3 Special Edtion [PS1].

hnnnnng, so sexy
Been forever since I've played it though, so I'm doing slightly bad.

[EmperorIng]

I don't know why but I am continually drawn back to attempting to 1CC The Ninja Warriors (Arcade). I suppose it's one of those somewhat-shallow games, being late 80s single-scrolling beat-em-up, but I can't help but have fun. Mindless fun maybe, but hey.

I've made it up to stage 5 on one credit, but stage 4 is really rough and the ball-n-chain guys always mess me up. And stage 5's teleporting ninjas in tight, claustrophobic corridors? C'mon...

[gbaplayer]

Tengai Makyou Zero (SFC)
Bravely Default (3DS)

man i love RPGs.

[replayme]

I don't know man... I never understood the appeal of Bayonetta in the face of Ninja Gaiden and God of War.

I've never played any of the 3D Ninja Gaiden games, but Bayonetta's combat system is vastly more flexible and interesting to play with than God of War's. You get so many different combat options and abilities to mess around with that you're never forced into using just one move to deal with a section. It's an amazingly deep combat system that you won't appreciate if you've never put any time into acquiring all of the weapons available and playing on the only difficulty mode that really matters, Non-Stop Infinite Climax.

God of War benefits from having a far richer lore, which draws you in as a consequence and makes you want to play till the very end so as to see the narrative unfold. Bayonetta, for all its crazy move set, just isn't as interesting (or as epic) in my honest opinion.

Horses for courses indeed.

[null1024]

Sonic Adventure 2 [DC].

Playing it on my laptop since I can't be arsed to pull out my DC and I don't have a Gamecube controller anymore [so I can't play SA2B on my Wii].
oh my christ, I forgot why this game is so badly remembered

The Knuckles sections are horrid. The camera is bad. The radar is super-gimped from SA1. The music is neato, though. That's their only saving grace.
The Tails sections are relatively dull. They aren't bad, they just aren't that good.

On the other hand, the Sonic sections are great. Fast and furious, and Sonic controls brilliantly. None of that super high inertia shit that Sonic got in Unleashed/Generations, you pick a direction and Sonic goes into it.
this is one of the reasons SA1 is a better game: if you only want to play Sonic, just pick Sonic's story and ignore the rest, Perfect Chaos is a crap fight anyway

But when you have to do a Knuckles level, a Tails level, ANOTHER KNUCKLES LEVEL, and ANOTHER TAILS LEVEL and then finally get to Pyramid Cave, you want to throw something.
It'd be a great game if it was all Sonic and there wasn't that silly delay between the action button's action changing and the description changing. There's nothing like bouncing into a pit instead of light-dashing... or maybe if those commands simply had separate buttons, which would make more sense.

[BrianC]

Animal Crossing New Leaf (3DS)
Shin Megami Tensei IV (3DS)
various versions of Space Harrier (3DS, Wii, SMS, TG-16)

[Sir Ilpalazzo]

I don't know man... I never understood the appeal of Bayonetta in the face of Ninja Gaiden and God of War.

Personally, I think Platinum's games could do better on handhelds (Vita etc) - just because those devices lend themselves to quick bursts of play. And because the production values being lower would yield more profit.

It would almost certainly lead to the games being scaled down too; I doubt most of their PS3 / 360 games (and especially not their Wii U games) would be possible as-is on even the Vita. It might be more profitable for them than making games on the PS4 and Xbox One, but it'd almost certainly lead to lesser games as well, and I don't think that's something we should cheer on.

It's difficult for me to believe that someone who really likes action games would put God of War over Bayonetta, but I guess that's understandable if what you're looking for in games is different.

[Leandro]

been playing some AvsP lately... Reached the final Queen with the two Predators and Lynn, but could never kill her on a credit with any character, what a bitch

[BareKnuckleRoo]

God of War benefits from having a far richer lore, which draws you in as a consequence and makes you want to play till the very end so as to see the narrative unfold.

I have an unfortunate revelation for you: nobody who plays the games seriously plays them "to see the narrative unfold". You beat an action game once, there, that's the narrative for you. People replay beat 'em ups, shmups, racing games, etc, not for the narrative, but for the deep gameplay. God of War's is at its core a grumpy tough guy beating up on the Greek Pantheon for reasons that boil down to revenge in every single game. It boils down to little more than a fanfic writer's wet dream. Is this really anymore meaningful than the plot in Bayonetta, Mad World or No More Heroes? The overall plots in those aren't arguably any better, but the characters themselves and the situations they're put in are far more memorable, and the games are way more stylish and fun to play.

When you're working on a highscore/1CC of a difficult arcade game, chances are you're not focused on the narrative. If you want a medium where a narrative gets the main focus, read a book. Or at least play an RPG/visual novel.

[Formless God]

lore, which draws you in as a consequence and makes you want to play till the very end so as to see the narrative unfold.

Jesus H. Christ, the modern gamer.

[CMoon]

I could swear I've posted it here before, but this game review is a mandatory viewing before making a final decision on Anarchy Reigns:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaui8-cVVHQ

Man, really nice review. I agree that I probably never gave the game the chance it deserved, but never took a shit on it either. Reminded me a lot of the powerstone games which were only fun with couch co-op. If Anarchy Reigns has a problem it is the modern gamer. Would have been an A+ title on the dreamcast.

[Jonathan Ingram]

It boils down to little more than a fanfic writer's wet dream. Is this really anymore meaningful than the plot in Bayonetta, Mad World or No More Heroes?

Meaningful? - No. But I think there`s a very distinct difference between serviceable and offensively bad. The plots in Platinum`s games usually fall under the latter. Bayonetta`s is pure garbage, but Vanquish is especially guilty of it. Whichever lobotomized monkey thought it appropriate to include a story so atrociously bad in a videogame should be locked up in a monkey bedlam and fed on fermented donkey piss till the rest of its days. Not only does it completely blow in its own right, but it also detracts from the experience as there`s no way to permanently shut off the cutscenes and obtrusive radio convos.

And No More Heroes shouldn`t be lumped together with the likes of Bayonetta. The characters are generally memorable and the dialogue can be pretty witty sometimes, not to mention the occasional "so bad, it`s good" moments.

[replayme]

God of War benefits from having a far richer lore, which draws you in as a consequence and makes you want to play till the very end so as to see the narrative unfold.

I have an unfortunate revelation for you: nobody who plays the games seriously plays them "to see the narrative unfold". You beat an action game once, there, that's the narrative for you. People replay beat 'em ups, shmups, racing games, etc, not for the narrative, but for the deep gameplay. God of War's is at its core a grumpy tough guy beating up on the Greek Pantheon for reasons that boil down to revenge in every single game. It boils down to little more than a fanfic writer's wet dream. Is this really anymore meaningful than the plot in Bayonetta, Mad World or No More Heroes? The overall plots in those aren't arguably any better, but the characters themselves and the situations they're put in are far more memorable, and the games are way more stylish and fun to play.

When you're working on a highscore/1CC of a difficult arcade game, chances are you're not focused on the narrative. If you want a medium where a narrative gets the main focus, read a book. Or at least play an RPG/visual novel.

Well I must be different from other players then, in that I usually complete the said game and move on - especially in the present gaming climate where I have more than enough choice, and unplayed games to last me several lifetimes. Unless a game is particularly noteworthy, and is able to attract my attention from the get go, then I'll probably not spend more than an hour on it. Bayonetta is just one of those games, which I got bored of after about an hour. Same with Mad World, Vanquish, and Anarchy Reigns - which I all own. And they're all major steps down from the likes of God Hand and Viewtiful Joe (which were A-M-A-Z-I-N-G).

As stated previously, I find Platinum games to be fun and interesting diversions. But not interesting enough to retain my interest after a few hours (max). I never said that Anarchy Reigns was a "bad" game. Just a game that didn't deliver more value than its £4 purchase price. I know that a game's derived "value" is subjective, but I wouldn't pay any more than £4-5 for the game. And it looks like the market kind of agrees (whether you agree with it or not).

Also, No More Heroes is an infinitely better (and a more fun) game in my opinion. And it's about the same price (s/h) or cheaper too...

[replayme]

lore, which draws you in as a consequence and makes you want to play till the very end so as to see the narrative unfold.

Jesus H. Christ, the modern gamer.

Ha ha! I think I might be suffering from ADD

[Ed Oscuro]

In the "story? what story?" department, Gangs of London (PSP)'s story missions have continued to be a mixed lot. However, the extra missions keep this one going. I'm up to three platinum medals (and five golds) now that I've finally found all the secret sign holders and all the landmarks. Strangely, the sign holders count towards stars in Free Roam, where you take a gang member around and can shoot at stuff - but get wasted quickly if you try to head into enemy territories. It's much easier to go about the place in daytime and without enemies (or even police) as the tourist, where you can also make progress towards finding landmarks. You can ask pedestrians for help finding landmarks, but I would rather "use" them to get the funny random responses: "What's that in the sky? Oh, you can't look up." "Press up thirteen times to enable the hot tea mod." "Dogs can't look up." Other modes are pretty much the expected - beat down rioters, Speed: The Minigame, kill zombies, inflict a set amount of damage before dying in a set amount of time (Triad leader is insane and angry). Especially in the murder and mayhem one, it's common to have a huge line of burned-out cars down a street, showing off the traffic AI's tendency to just sit behind an obstacle forever, without really reacting to what's going on - and the game can chug along a bit when tons of stuff starts piling up. It's still playable though; the framerate dips aren't horrific despite huge amounts of wreckage.

The actual missions are a mixed lot - some just feel like slightly more specific versions of the extra modes, and while gunplay works well enough, melee leaves a lot to be desired - your only real choices are whether to try and block, do an in-and-out routine, or aggro enemies while your gang mates slowly chop away at them. One particularly insane mission asks you to destroy some cars - and gives you just a crowbar to do it, all the while five police descend upon you. Nuts to that - I just hijacked cars and rammed them. The game is pretty intelligent about not letting you break missions by going down some streets and avoiding preset obstacles - it seems able to shift them over a street. Sometimes the best way to deal with an obstacle is to run right over it and remove the evidence (especially if it stops the police from being alerted, i.e. by knocking them over).

The pub games are definitely worth a look - there's serviceable implementations of many of the usual games (darts, US and UK-style pool/snooker, skittles) but one of my favorites is "Ye Olde Arcade," a black screen which draws mazes, boxes, and lines in pleasantly glowing white. It's probably best described as part Snake, part Tron, and part insanity. Each level mixes up the rules in an interesting way - one stage might have you trying to use the d-pad and the face buttons to try and navigate two snakes simultaneously way through two mazes to pick up two boxes at the same time without crashing (pat your head, rub your belly, or is that pat your pelly and rub your head?) while another has you crashing other lines in classic Tron fashion. I've done twenty of these and I've just gotten the two basic medals out of the four so far. Hard to say if that means there's 10 or 20 more left, or maybe some other number. The only thing more I would like is for the software to create some new variants on these challenges when you're finished for more replay value - but many of these work as well as they do because they're obviously carefully designed.

[null1024]

Sonic Adventure [DC].

Has slightly fewer issues than SADXPC [and there's no point in getting the re-release of SADXPC], so I ran it in NullDC. Looks more pastel-colored and doesn't have that nasty looking oddness for far-off objects. The only real issue is locked to 30fps. Being in NullDC though, it probably exhibits less slowdown [I know that NullDC doesn't slowdown during Ikaruga's boss explosions like on hardware as it should].

Ys Seven [PSP].

'S effing great still. Just beat the Water Dragon, off to find the Moon Dragon or whatever.

On an unrelated note, is Ys Origins any good? Planning to pick that up off of Steam at some point.

[edit]
Typing of the Dead [DC].

Hoo, boy. It's loads harder than Overkill. Which is a good thing, this game gives me a really intense thrill.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Unless a game is particularly noteworthy, and is able to attract my attention from the get go, then I'll probably not spend more than an hour on it. Bayonetta is just one of those games, which I got bored of after about an hour.

Just because you don't think it's noteworthy, doesn't mean it's not awesome.

I actually kinda liked Vanquish's overarching plot, the double-crossing and political motivations going on in the background were a nice touch (referential to 9/11?), even the conversations throughout the game were mostly meh. At any rate, the main focus is on the gameplay as with any other one of Platinum's games, and it's absolutely solid there.

[Formless God]

Ha ha! I think I might be suffering from ADD

Give it a few years. You'll be completely immune to narrative and lore. Trust me.

On an unrelated note, is Ys Origins any good? Planning to pick that up off of Steam at some point.

It's excellent.

[MadSteelDarkness]

Seems like i can't go at least a day or two without playing Race The Sun

[Ed Oscuro]

Finally started - Rygar (PS2). There's a Wii version as well which I would like to make some comparison with eventually.

Interesting game so far but Ninja Gaiden is much more polished. Still, a lot of the elements start to come together here - it's interesting how sometimes it's not all that big a step from "just another game" to "whoa legendary!"

Typing of the Dead [DC].

Hoo, boy. It's loads harder than Overkill. Which is a good thing, this game gives me a really intense thrill.

Hmm, that erases any interest I might have possibly had in trying out Overkill then. Good thing TTotD works fine on PCs still.

[null1024]

Overkill is a very consolized game, so it's way easier as a result [whether it be TotD:O or the lightgun game]. It's fun, but it doesn't have that pulse-pounding arcade difficulty. And I'm pretty sure the production values were way lower for Overkill [the original TotD outright was an arcade game, cab and all, lots of little changes, etc whereas TotD:Overkill is just HotD:Overkill with typing controls and nearly no changes]. I only bought it because it was $5 on Steam though [it isn't anymore].

Sonic Adventure [DC].

I take back a few of the good things I've said about this game, at least regarding the DC version. It looks nicer than SADX at times [there were some really odd texture changes going from DC->GC, Red Mountain looks tons nicer on the DC], but SADX fixes so much shit [loops fucking work in SADX, and I know it's not nullDC's fault that they don't in SA1 -- one of my earliest experiences with the game back in '99, I fell out of the first loop and wondered what the hell was going on]. Even though SADX introduces some shit of its own [you can die on the whale chase?!].

Damnit, I wish there was a truly definitive version of SA1. Ideally, it'd also be without Adventure Fields, which is one of those things SA2 did right.

Also, after Red Mountain, there is no reason to play SA1, all the later levels suck [really, they aren't hard -- just bad], all the other characters aren't as good as Sonic [although I could deal with Knuckles in this game, since the Emerald radar isn't completely gimped], etc, etc. You at least get as much playtime as Sonic 3 [standalone] that way. Maybe less if you've memorized everything since the game came out 14 or so years ago.

Hell, a bunch of the stages before Red Mountain were crap [hi there, Casinopolis and Windy Valley!]. SA2's Sonic/Shadow stages were at least more consistently good [only really bad stages are Crazy Gadget and Final Chase, Final Rush has distressingly good level design for a stage that's mostly on rails ].

At some point, I'm going to play Shenmue. I at least loaded it up and saved the first moment that I could so I wouldn't have to sit through the intro when I actually wanted to play.

[replayme]

Overkill on the Wii is amazing. Definitely my favourite game on the system. Given its £4 (s/h) pricetag, along with the fact that Wii consoles can be picked up for around £30, I'd say it's worth picking up a Wii for the game alone.