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Post by Ex on Jul 11, 2019 22:57:39 GMT -5
Tonight I put an hour and a half into Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast for PS2. As the name suggests, this was a 2006 release. It was developed by Sumo Digital and published by Sega. This game released on Xbox, PS2, PSP, and PC. Once upon a time I had the Xbox version, but I must have sold it many years ago. The PS2 version runs and looks good though, albeit with a little slowdown here and there.
Outrun 2006 follows the series tradition of being an arcade racer. This stuff isn't realistic at all. The gameplay focuses on drifting around corners, and catching slipstreams off other cars for speed boosts. This version of Outrun has a campaign mode, but I chose the arcade mode, because frankly it's funner. Outrun 2006 is a re-imagining of the first game in the series, but obviously with a new game engine and 3D graphics. Don't worry, your passenger seated girlfriend will still berate and beat on you if you race badly.
This game is split into two parts: a port of OutRun 2 SP (the arcade mode which itself includes the OutRun 2 levels) and Coast 2 Coast, which is a campaign of single-player races and challenges. There's also support for local network and internet multiplayer. (I imagine the LAN stuff would still be fun even today.) OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast features 15 different cars, the most ever seen in any OutRun game. In addition to the ten vehicles from OutRun 2 SP, new models include the 550 Barchetta, F355 Spider, Superamerica, 328 GTS and the Ferrari F430. What's interesting about OutRun's arcade mode, is you're not racing for first place. Rather you're racing to beat a clock. Every time you reach a new area, you hit a checkpoint, and get a little more time added to the (ever running out) clock. Ultimately you're all but guaranteed to run out of time just seconds before you reach the final goal line. This becomes increasingly more infuriating each and every time it happens. As you race though, you are given diversion paths that lead to different areas (tracks). Some areas are harder than others. This malleable race track format gives the game some decent replayability. Which is appreciated, give how many times you'll have to restart to ever finish an actual course. Even the easiest tracks require near perfect racing the entire way through, in order to not run out of time. If you're looking for a tough arcade racer, take Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast for a spin.
The whole "you almost made it that time" aspect becomes addictive in its own sadistic way though. So it's easy to keep on trying, due to the breezy nature of the whole affair. Blasting past palm tree addled beaches in a convertible Ferrari, with your blonde girlfriend by your side, as the radio rocks Caribbean tunes, does invoke a certain sense of summer fun.
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Post by Sarge on Jul 11, 2019 23:11:15 GMT -5
I've actually tried to keep my eye out for the XBOX version. It's supposed to be very good, and pretty uncommon.
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Post by Ex on Jul 13, 2019 22:41:16 GMT -5
I've actually tried to keep my eye out for the XBOX version. It's supposed to be very good, and pretty uncommon. Wow the prices on the Xbox version are insane. I wish I'd waited till later to have sold my copy. Pretty sure I sold it back in 2009 or 2010.
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Post by Ex on Jul 18, 2019 9:00:57 GMT -5
Last night I started playing a fairly obscure and not necessarily well known PS1 scuba game; Diver's Dream. Here are some screenshots (I didn't take these): I finished the first three missions last night, saved at the fourth. The first mission involved finding an underwater camera lost in a save cave, the second required killing a huge aggressive shark, and the third was about rescuing a trapped diver from a sunken ship. From what I can tell, there's only eight missions in Diver's Dream, so maybe this won't take long to finish. That said, Diver's Dream is not an easy game at all. Mainly because of the way the swimming works versus a less than stellar camera (it's third person). This is however a rather unique scuba diving sim, made by Konami of all companies. Also this game was called Dolphin's Dream in Japan. I enjoy the OST for the most part. I invite you to let it play in the background, while you go about your daily internet proclivities:
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Post by Ex on Jul 18, 2019 11:27:56 GMT -5
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Post by Ex on Jul 19, 2019 0:44:26 GMT -5
I made more progress in Diver's Dream tonight, a rather arduous affair. Let's just say I'm beating this one out of "scholarly interest". I also sampled these PS1 games tonight: All three have aged terribly, and I honestly doubt were much fun even in their day. I've got nothing good to say about those games, so I'll just leave it at that. I did however, manage to complete a playthrough of this: California Games II | SNES | 1993"California Games II" is a variety sports game developed by Silicon Sorcery, and published by DTMC in 1993. Surprisingly enough this game also got a Japanese release, with interesting cover art. From what I understand the SNES version is an upgraded port of the DOS version from 1992 (itself a port of the 1990 Amiga iteration). The DOS version of this game makes comical references to death, and even contains some animated gore. The SNES version was released in compliance with Nintendo's censorship guidelines. Doing as such removed the gore elements, and also had modified the original cover art depicting the beach girls in more modest swimwear. The object of the game is to score as many points as possible in five sporting events. This is done by performing "stunts", and managing to survive the sports event. The five sports events consist of: Hang gliding, jet skiing, snowboarding, surfing, and skateboarding. Single player and two player modes are available. The player(s) completes each of the five events sequentially, and then is awarded a point total at the end, depending on the player's performance throughout the events. Yeah, that's about it. Oh, and there's a text-talking head on the screen at all times, who gives you praise (or anti-praise) in the style of Bill & Ted. Bogus, dude. To be honest this game is really subpar. The graphics are not impressive, the audio is not impressive, the gameplay is not fun, the controls are iffy... it's all rather awful. I at least -somewhat- enjoyed the Mode 7 styled jet ski racing, and the pseudo-3D skateboard tunnel stuff. But that enjoyment was very short lived. California Games II has practically zero replay value. I guess it could have been a halfway decent rental for very young kids in its time. The original California Games was a big hit in its day, the game sold tremendously well. I don't think this sequel shared the same success, it certainly didn't deserve too. Fun fact: An Atari Lynx version was also announced, and previewed in several magazines, but was never released. The Lynx for all its own foibles should feel lucky to have been spared this schlock. Ex's time to beat: 25 minutes (played through all events multiple times - as self flagellation) Ex's rating: 3/10
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Post by hooplehead on Jul 19, 2019 4:26:44 GMT -5
ExI wonder if the PSX version of Hydro Thunder is gimped, because I remember the arcade game and the DC version being a blast back in the day. Outrun 2006 is definitely a classic. Maybe my favorite of that style of racer, even. It’s a shame there isn’t a demand for those types of games. And I admire that you can stick it out with games like California Games. Looks absolutely terrible.
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Post by Xeogred on Jul 19, 2019 6:59:27 GMT -5
I remember loving Hydro Thunder as well, but I only played the arcade and DC version. I imagine like the Rush port, the PSX version might be a major downgrade.
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Post by Ex on Jul 19, 2019 10:01:00 GMT -5
I wonder if the PSX version of Hydro Thunder is gimped, because I remember the arcade game and the DC version being a blast back in the day. I remember loving Hydro Thunder as well, but I only played the arcade and DC version. I imagine like the Rush port, the PSX version might be a major downgrade. Yes gentlemen, that was my issue. The PS1 version is just not a good port. I very much enjoyed the Dreamcast version of Hydro Thunder in years previous. I have been known to play through some real stinkers in the name of morbid curiosity.
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Post by hooplehead on Jul 19, 2019 13:08:17 GMT -5
ExHaha, it’s impressive either way. If my backlog weren’t so long, I might try some of those, but I don’t think I could near anything that could be considered as beating them.
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