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Post by Ex on Dec 3, 2020 2:49:10 GMT -5
Gundam Side Story 0079: Rise from the Ashes is a SEGA Dreamcast exclusive mecha-combat simulator, developed by Bec, and published by Bandai, in 2000. GSS0079:RftA is a licensed game, based on the Universal Century timeline of the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise. The plot takes place in Australia, following a squad of RGM-79 GMs (known as the "White Dingo" squad) who complete dangerous missions to thwart the invasion of the Zeon army. There are nine missions (stages) set all over Australia, in an attempt to stop Zeon from developing and releasing the Astaroth, a biological weapon capable of accelerating the growth of all plant life on the Earth, turning the entire planet into a human-inhospitable environment. The gameplay is presented via a first person view, wherein the player controls a combat mech, similar to MecWarrior 2. In addition, the player can command three other squad members using a logistical map (similar to Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri). For example, the player could command one member to guard the player, another to do a sonar sweep, and the other to attack a distant target. Combat itself consists of ranged weaponry, melee beam swords, shields, and occasionally special sniper weapons. Before each mission, there is an animated briefing to sell the plot, and there are many cutscenes during gameplay to do the same. The player has the ability to outfit their squad's mechs and weaponry individually before a mission begins. Although options are extremely limited throughout the game to that effect. (This is NOT Front Mission.) The controls are fairly complex, and reading the game's user manual is highly recommended. +A well made mech combat sim on console is always appreciated.
+Good variety in mission designs and locales.
+The player must be a strategic leader to prevail. +The plot keeps the player engaged well.
+Utilizes the Gundam license effectively.
-No subtitles for cutscenes is always dumb.
-Can't move when using the sniper view.
-The mini-radar is too small and practically useless.
-Not nearly enough variety of mechs and weapons to choose from.
-The final mission is unbalanced to say the least.
For the first eight missions of this game, I was having a blast. Sure GSS0079:RftA is not as intricate as a first person mech shooter that you'd find on PC, but that's just fine. There's a balance struck between complexity and simulation VS arcade sensibility and console accessibility. That balance was maintained expertly, until the final mission. The final mission however, skyrocketed in difficulty, and saw my squad members utterly useless, with myself fighting two Zeon enemies that were psychotically overpowered to say the least. After many failures, I ended up finding a way to use the geometry to glitch the AI of those enemies, so that I could slowly potshot them to death. Absolutely not what the designers intended, but I honestly have no idea what Bec was thinking with how unbalanced this final mission was. I guess they realized GSS0079:RftA was going to be a very short game, so they tried to make the final mission a real bastard to prolong the experience. That said, you can save your game before every mission, and there are unlimited continues.
Aside from docking a point off the score for that boneheaded final mission, the rest of this game was very fun. I am a certified mech dork, although I am not at all a Gundam fanboy. Well that means I think GSS0079:RftA is a good game for mech fans, but a GREAT game for Gundam fans. This title also remains a Dreamcast exclusive to this day, and is of higher quality than one would expect from a licensed game. If all of that sounds even mildly interesting, definitely give Gundam Side Story 0079: Rise from the Ashes a try. You might find yourself enthralled in the heat of giant robot battles - giant robot battles with giant robot light sabers no less. As for me, I've wanted to beat this game for a very long time, and I'm glad I've finally done so.
Ex's time to beat: 4.5 hours
Ex's rating: 7/10
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Post by Sarge on Dec 3, 2020 2:55:26 GMT -5
It really is obnoxious how big difficulty spikes can really ruin the ending of a game like that. Still, I don't have this one, so I'll add it to the list.
An update on my freezing conundrum: apparently it really was a bad rip, or a corrupted sector on my old disc. Got a new ISO and burned to a CMC Pro (not quite original TY quality, but close) and it worked just fine. And I hit that save point, so I will be able to finish up my run tomorrow.
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Post by Chainsaw Bilqis on Dec 3, 2020 11:41:59 GMT -5
I have played Dreamcast so much that even having not touched the console in awhile most games are still fresh in my mind (for me my most played home consoles in chronological order are probably: SNES, Saturn, Dreamcast). I guess I would mark the end of the DC as the end of me following (then)modern gaming. I've played a lot of PS2 games too, but my enthusiasm for current gaming news disappeared with the DC. I no longer followed or anticipated new releases (except a very small selection of PS2 titles), usually I'd just go to a game store and find stuff that interested me without knowing anything about it besides the back of the box. But the Dreamcast era, I was still reading all the magazines (including Official DC Magazine) and internet posts, sometimes counting the days for a new release.
I will play at least one Dreamcast game this month then.
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Post by Ex on Dec 3, 2020 12:16:38 GMT -5
It really is obnoxious how big difficulty spikes can really ruin the ending of a game like that. This is definitely a semi-popular Japanese design pattern I've noticed over the years. A game will be easy-to-moderate difficulty, then the final 5-10% just skyrockets in difficulty. Always irks the piss outta me when that happens. I'm fine with very hard difficulty towards the end of a game, but there should be a ramp to get there, not just a sudden wall. Depending on which CMC Pro disc you buy, you are basically buying rebranded TY discs anyway. For example, these are made in Taiwan, but use TY production standards: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00065DGYQ/I have personally used those in my Dreamcast and PS2, and they worked great. usually I'd just go to a game store and find stuff that interested me without knowing anything about it besides the back of the box I know we've all been burned via that method, but I still kinda miss those blind buys. Sometimes you'd end up with a really awesome game, which you knew nothing about going in. All uncharted territory, without the temptation of reading all about the game on the internet before/while playing it. Well I guess I'm talking more about early-mid '90s era here, not so much the '99/'00 Dreamcast era, as the internet was pervasive by then. Cool, the more the merrier.
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Post by Sarge on Dec 3, 2020 15:06:29 GMT -5
Ex : Yep, those are the ones. My understanding is that they are a slight quality drop from the Japan-manufactured TY discs, but still very good. Okay, Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage is done. It was... okay. Honestly, the combat just isn't as satisfying as you'd expect from a game where you wield a gigantic sword. I bet fans of the manga/anime would enjoy this one a bit more - there's quite a bit of story and exposition, far more than a typical hack-and-slasher. A key to success is not being too stingy with your items, and learning to work around your giant sword's constant thwacking against walls in tight spaces. I probably put five hours into this one all told. 6/10.
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Post by Chainsaw Bilqis on Dec 3, 2020 21:27:02 GMT -5
Ex : Yep, those are the ones. My understanding is that they are a slight quality drop from the Japan-manufactured TY discs, but still very good. Okay, Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage is done. It was... okay. Honestly, the combat just isn't as satisfying as you'd expect from a game where you wield a gigantic sword. I bet fans of the manga/anime would enjoy this one a bit more - there's quite a bit of story and exposition, far more than a typical hack-and-slasher. A key to success is not being too stingy with your items, and learning to work around your giant sword's constant thwacking against walls in tight spaces. I probably put five hours into this one all told. 6/10. I am a Berserk fan and enjoyed the game, though I have not played it since its release pretty much. Even when it was new I got it for 10 dollars haha. I am looking through to see what DC game to play, I have about 80 DC titles but am picking out some ones to think over. I am thinking of something from these two photos. For me, you can't go wrong with a Capcom published game from this era, but I have played these ones too much haha:
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Post by Sarge on Dec 3, 2020 21:44:41 GMT -5
I have wanted to finish Elemental Gimmick Gear for so long. Maybe that would be a good subject for this month.
Capcom really did go all out on the system. You've got a more impressive collection than I do, though, for sure! Of those, I only own Power Stone 2, Plasma Sword, MvC2, CvS, Cannon Spike, and Mars Matrix legit.
Also, I will add that Dead or Alive 2 LE still looks shockingly good. Quick arcade run of that. I struggle with a lot of these fighters and what to rate them, but I think it's worth an 8/10 at minimum.
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Post by Ex on Dec 3, 2020 22:06:05 GMT -5
Time Stalkers always looked fun to me. I think toei has beaten it? Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage is done. It was... okay. 6/10. Dang that's disappointing... I was planning to play that one. I enjoyed the original anime adaptation of this series, I was hoping the DC release would be good. Oh well, there's always the PS2 one.
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Post by Sarge on Dec 3, 2020 22:27:58 GMT -5
You might like it better, who knows? Definitely give it a try, anyway. A lot of other people like it more than I do - it tends to show up on a lot of hidden gem lists. Just got to Stage 6 in Zombie Revenge. I'm just not feeling it with this game, either. I know you liked it, Ex, and it may be a lot better as a co-op play.
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Post by toei on Dec 3, 2020 22:57:47 GMT -5
Zombie Revenge has a weird feel and flow to it, which is why I never finished it. I still want to, though. Speaking of which, I wish Spikeout and the related games (Slashout and the Team Battle game) had gotten DC ports. The character Linda Rotta in Zombie Revenge is actually from Spikeout, and the Yakuza battle system party evolved from it (Nagoshi directed Spikeout). And of course Zombie Revenge is a House of the Dead spin-off, so lots of connections to Sega Arcade gaming.
I did finish Time Stalkers, and I did like it. It's a cool sort of softer roguelike with characters from Landstalker and Shining in the Darkness and stuff. What's not to like? I remember reviews in magazines at the time complaining that you went back to level 1 whenever you entered a dungeon as if it were a fatal flaw. They had no idea what a roguelike even was then. I really don't like Elemental Gimmick Gear, though. It controls terribly, which made battles a pain for me.
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