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Post by bonesnapdeez on Jul 1, 2018 20:13:51 GMT -5
I need to hit up that DS compilation of the classic NES Mega Man games. Only ever finished the second and fifth installments.
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Post by Ex on Jul 1, 2018 21:22:55 GMT -5
the Zero series is utterly legit. It's crazy how little talk there is of these games online and how forgotten they seem to have become. Don't skip out on these! AMAZING! I think the problem was that the first game was so hard, and that put a lot of people off. Just like a lot of people didn't give Advent a try because ZX's map system sucked.
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Post by Xeogred on Jul 1, 2018 21:37:50 GMT -5
That and I guess the Mega Man steam was really drying up around then with how little Capcom was pushing it. Just really shocking to google around for all the Zero games at points, there's barely any good youtube videos for anything, several GameFAQ's threads with a single post and nothing else, not a lot of good FAQ's, etc, it's a ghost town. The funny thing is how rough Mega Man 1 itself was too. Some of the beginnings just needed to rework some kinks to quickly improve upon greatness! I guess X had the best debut and is probably even the best in its respective line. Anyways Ex glad you got me onto ZX Advent! I'll positively recommend that one to any fans. I surely would have replayed the Zero games at some point, but Advent really put me in the mood finally and it was perfect.
Also, I thought for a second I lost my Dragon Quest V cartridge before busting out my DS Lite to see it was in there... and I can't believe how dinky the DS is. I can never go back.
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Post by Ex on Jul 1, 2018 21:51:24 GMT -5
I can't believe how dinky the DS is. It can be hard to go back to the DS Lite screens, it takes me a little while to get used to them. Once I get used to them, they're okay. You should try playing a real Game Boy sometime! Talk about a small screen. ( 2.6" vs DS Lite's 3.12" ) The DSi XL has decent sized screens, but its PPI is so abysmal I'd rather deal with the smaller screens of the DS Lite.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2018 9:20:09 GMT -5
I've beaten Doom 3 BFG Edition for the PC on the hardest difficulty available on a first playthrough (Veteran). Which is not to say I would've played the game on Nightmare if I had the choice. Or shot myself in the foot with a .357 Magnum, for that matter. The BFG Edition is a 2012 re-release featuring enhanced graphics, better audio, a checkpoint save system (yes!), a bonus campaign and a few gameplay tweaks. It also comes bundled with Doom and Doom II. Doom 3 was developed by id Software and originally released in 2004. Its expansion, Resurrection of Evil, was developed by Nerve Software and released in 2005. Doom 3 was the first game to make use of the id Tech 4 engine, which pioneered dynamic per-pixel lightning and its fully realtime approach - as opposed to pre-calculated per-vertex lighting - permitted more realistic lightning and shadow effects. The other side of the coin was the inability of earlier versions of the engine to handle outdoor areas as it was specifically designed with smaller and darker maps in mind. The game has often been criticized for betraying the spirit of the Doom franchise and, well, I don't really see that. It was a joy to see how each and every demon had been re-designed: they felt familiar, yet novel and more threatening. The game feels like a natural evolution from Doom 64, where already the somewhat cartoony demon designs from the previous games were being converted into something much more sinister. Likewise, the dark ambient soundtrack sets well the atmosphere as we venture into yet another dark hallway, biological lab or Martian excavation site infested by demons. As the one-eyed Dr. Betruger (nomen est omen) literally lets Hell loose and we make our way deeper under the surface of the Red Planet, the futuristic Mars base around us will gradually start to change its outlook and take more and more after the homeworld of the invading demons. Catwalks will lead us down into rivers of lava, giant tentacles will start to spread around and block our way. There is a tangible feeling that the entire UAC complex is, well, going to Hell. In good old Doom's tradition, our journey will eventually take us down to the abode of the dead itself, where, armed with an ancient artifact called the Soul Cube, we'll have to confront the Cyberdemon - the commander of the hellish legions. Unlike previous installments, Doom 3 has a decent story to tell which is marred by an unrelatable silent protagonist and a cornucopia of audio logs à la System Shock which clashes badly against the gameplay as I was often too busy and much more interested in fighting the next horde of demons rather than stopping and listening to some dead guy complaining about how he ordered a batch of jackhammers but back on Earth they've got the order mixed up and sent hundreds of chainsaws instead - which is actually a decent excuse for having chainsaws laying around. Resurrection of Evil is a textbook expansion which introduces a few weapons and enemies. I lament their decision to put a faux-Gravity Gun in the game as the id Tech 4 engine can't compete with Source when it comes to physics and, most importantly, doesn't need to. I never touched the damn thing. They did bring back the double-barreled shotgun though, so it's all good. They also introduced a slow-motion power à la F.E.A.R. and I mean, sure, why not. Overall, the gunplay is fun. Which is to say, using the shotgun is fun: it was my weapon of choice for 90% of the game. The enemy AI leaves much to be desired and their attack patterns are extremely limited and predictable. The game tries to compensate this with its rather cheap enemy placement. It gets repetitive but remains fun. I give this game 8 demon baby-bees out of 10.Having Doom 3 (2004) , Quake 4 (2005) and Prey (2006) under my belt I believe I've taken a fairly good look at the capabilities of the id Tech 4 engine. Excellent lightning effects and highly detailed smaller areas - but virtually unable to do outdoor areas: a giant with feet of clay. Only a few other games used it: most notably Wolfenstein (2009) and Brink (2011). It's safe to say that it wasn't as nearly as successful as earlier id Tech engines and was hopelessly overshadowed by Source and Unreal Engine 2. Definitely a far cry from the mid 90s, when id Tech and the Build engine used to dominate the FPS market.
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Post by Ex on Jul 3, 2018 10:03:41 GMT -5
permitted more realistic lightning and shadow effects. The other side of the coin was the inability of earlier versions of the engine to handle outdoor areas as it was specifically designed with smaller and darker maps in mind. The whole "smaller and darker maps" thing is what killed my enjoyed of DOOM 3, when I got around to playing it back in 2009. I remember it felt like every level was just a series of tight hallways, where inevitably an imp would bust out from a closet behind me, over and over and over. That recycled concept, coupled with the flashlight nonsense, really killed my enjoyment. Later I bought the BFG version for 360, because I'd read it fixed up the gameplay, and includes split-screen co-op modes of DOOM 1 & 2. I've not played the BFG 360 version myself yet. From my memories it did, mainly because I was often only fighting one or two enemies at a time. I don't remember ever being able to walk into a large room and unload on groups of enemies with a shotgun or rocket-launcher for instance. Maybe that can happen, but I don't remember it in DOOM 3. I did not mind at all the more realistic graphics, or sinister demons in DOOM 3. I thought the graphics were a nice upgrade. What you don't want to play Brink? (I kid, I kid.) I remember after id Tech 4, id Tech 5's whole thing was "MegaTextures". Nobody cared. I don't know anything about further id Tech engines afterwards.
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Post by Ex on Jul 3, 2018 10:54:14 GMT -5
48. Aquanaut's Holiday: Hidden Memories | PS3 | 2008
"Aquanaut's Holiday: Hidden Memories" is an underwater exploration-adventure simulation, developed by Artdink, and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment in 2008. AH:HM is actually the fourth release in the "Aquanaut's Holiday" series. The first "Aquanaut's Holiday" debuted in 1995 on the original PlayStation, in various regions, including the USA. "Aquanaut's Holiday: Memories of Summer" followed on PS1 in 1996, only published in Japan. "Aquanaut's Holiday 2" released on PS1 in 1999, again only published in Japan. AH:HM was published in Japan, Korea, and China. The Japanese version was the most produced, and is easy and affordable to acquire. However the Japanese version is only in Japanese language. The Korean and Chinese versions have English modes, allowing AH:HM to be played entirely in English. Unfortunately, the Korean and Chinese versions are very rare, having had a much smaller print run. Because of that fact, finding a copy of AH:HM in English can cost the pursuer quite a lot of money. I have seen English copies of AH:HM sell for upwards of $300 online. Many people consider the English versions of AH:HM to be the most expensive PS3 games on the market. I myself played through the Chinese/English version, which I bought from a Swedish gentleman.
In "Aquanaut's Holiday: Hidden Memories" the player acts as a journalist investigating the disappearance of a marine researcher. The lost researcher was working at Wise Lab, a government funded research laboratory in the heart of an oceanic atoll. The player must follow the path of the lost researcher, while also helping the lab gain operating funds to back the investigation. The player does so by aiding in cataloging the marine fauna of the atoll, as well as noting important discoveries. The player explores the atoll using a single occupant submersible called the DOLPHIN-02. The DOLPHIN-02 has witty onboard AI which keeps the player from feeling lonely in the depths. It is possible to upgrade the DOLPHIN-02 over time by acquiring MEME from singing fishes. Oh yes, singing fishes, that you play Simon Says with using echo-pings. The plot only gets crazier (and more entertaining) from there. Thankfully there are fellow researchers at Wise Lab for the player to discuss the proceedings with, helping make sense of the developing situation.
+Absolutely amazing, intensely immersive graphics. +An incredible plot full of mystery, surprise, and humor. +Joyous sense of discovery, explore a huge sea area full of wonders. +Innovative OST that constantly remixes itself from various musical elements.
+Supremely relaxing to play for hours at a time.
-Occasional framerate issues. -Occasional loading annoyances. -I wish the player could annotate the map.
-The English translation while good, falls into Engrish territory occasionally.
-This game crashed on me once.
"Aquanaut's Holiday: Hidden Memories" is overall unlike any other game I've ever played. Yes it looks similar to the "Everblue" or "Endless Ocean" series superficially, but AH:HM has enough differentiating peculiarities to remain unique. Particularly its surprise twist filled plot, which I won't ruin for anyone, is truly outstanding. Of course cruising around underwater exploring the widely varying atoll is the star of the show, and that aspect never disappoints. With hundreds of sea creatures to chronicle (and learn about thanks to the aqua library), dozens of discoveries to find, and even logic puzzles to solve, the player should never be bored. (I sure wasn't!) After finishing the main campaign, there's copious amounts of post-game content to explore as well. If you're gamer who can appreciate game design that goes beyond merely killing things and/or leveling up, you may be able to appreciate "Aquanaut's Holiday: Hidden Memories". That is, if you're willing to pay its exorbitant ticket fee. I personally spent $180 to buy this experience. Every single cent was worth it.
Time spent beating: 18 hours 45 minutes Ex's rating: 9.5/10
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Post by bonesnapdeez on Jul 3, 2018 12:45:03 GMT -5
Artdink! Never been a fan of their overall library (not a simulation guy) but the Lunatic Dawn RPGs are dank as hell.
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Post by Ex on Jul 3, 2018 12:52:11 GMT -5
Artdink! Never been a fan of their overall library (not a simulation guy) but the Lunatic Dawn RPGs are dank as hell. Artdink's made a lot of off the wall stuff. Back on the PS1; Carnage Heart, Tail of the Sun, No One Can Stop Mr. Domino, and handled the port of Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen. The Lunatic Dawn games look very complex and involved... I'd probably like them. Very unusual interfaces, have you played one?
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Post by bonesnapdeez on Jul 3, 2018 13:29:03 GMT -5
I've played parts I, II, and III (which aren't literally the first three games in terms of release date, this is a JRPG series after all). They are on Steam as a compilation, along with Passage of the Book, which is a gaiden game I have yet to try.
These games are unique. It's like playing a JRPG via a simulation menu if that makes sense. Lotsa options, recruitable characters, questing. Really utilitarian aesthetics. Cool stuff, I have yet to actually finish one of these though.
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