Posted by
Unknown
- Sunday, July 13, 2014
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The gateway to pixelated pubescent puerility,
or total and utter disappointment |
Do you remember the days before the Internet but after the advent of the home computer—the days when debating about whether the Spectrum was better than the Commodore 64 seemed like a cause you would lay your life on the line for? If so, you will probably remember the wrath of the uninitiated and ill-informed (our parents) when the Internet became a viable prospect in the home.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I seem to remember conversations being had in the media and across garden fences about how the Internet was both a dangerous and divisive thing, a porn addled wasteland that would corrupt the youth of today (well yesterday) if they so much as looked at it. The Lawnmower Man had just gone on general release, and I believe that this in no small way contributed to this warped view: The Internet was real and alive; it was like HAL. The X Files was airing on BBC 1 and everything was all a big conspiracy.
The thing is, I remember the 20th Century P.I. (pre-Internet), and those were not innocent times for my friends and me. We weren't monsters; we did not go around wielding baseball bats or running across the roofs of New York City like those pesky kids in The Warriors. No, our corruption was all rather more pixelated than that. You see, P.I. was the time when my friends and I used clunky RM networked PCs with no Internet access or Acorn Archimedes machines at school. At home (or at the homes of any number of my friends), we used the Amiga. Most of the time, we played games like Stunt Car Racer and boasted (read: lied) about how far we had gotten on The Secret of Monkey Island. However, when swapping disks and stories of this nature got a little boring, we went on the search for a new adventure…
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This could survive a nuclear holocaust
and came equipped with a
porn insertion early warning siren
disguised as a noisy rewind mechanism. |
Now, here is where I make a logical assumption (based upon the fact that most of my friends' dads had these so why not the rest of the UK; that's how most surveys work anyway). For some reason, the years immediately P.I. were also the years in which bed manufacturers decided to offer underbed storage of the most ridiculous nature. Alas, instead of having simple pull out drawers in which to store your "clothes," most double beds came with a lift-and-prop solution. The owner would have to lift the board that held the mattress and bed linens to a 45-degree angle until a spring clicked into place, revealing a cornucopia of clothes, old shoes, and—yep, you guessed it—porn magazines. You know, the ones mum wasn't supposed to know about. The manufacturers of these beds must have been having a laugh at the expense of all the dads in suburban England, in much the same way as the maker of the noisy top-loading Ferguson Videostar VCR player laughed at the generation of teenage lads before us—as Peter Kay epitomizes in his stand-up routines. Essentially, whenever dad lifted up the bed to gain access to his "clothes," the ratchet spring let out an almighty "clunk/dong," the duvet and mattress slid off the bed, and dear Papa would be caught with one hand stuck in the spring mechanism and the other clutching a copy of Razzle. Thus, the only time that one could feel safe cracking open this Pandora's box of porno delights was when nobody else was in the house.
I cannot remember exactly how my friends and I became interested in the underbed storage areas of our collective parents' bedrooms. I seem to vaguely recall that one of my friends said that he had been in his parents' room and happened to see a magazine of that nature hidden down the side of the bed (note, not in the storage space defined above). This led to feigned revulsion from everyone else in our group—"No way would my dad have such things in his possession!"—followed by us parting ways much like the Secret Seven a few hours before a big adventure. However, instead of Seven Catch a Thief, "Individual Children Looked Under their Parents' Beds" would be an apt title if ever a book recounting such an adventure were to be penned (Enid Blyton must be turning in her grave). In any case, this led us to find large caches of adult videos and magazines as well as something else, something new. Thanks to our discoveries, many teenage boys in a semi-rural town in the South East of England never looked at their Amigas in the same way again. Also, never would there be such an aptly named disk duplication program made as X Copy…
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Dad's nemesis. First the Videostar, now this?
When was the world going to give him a break? |
In one of the underbed storage cavities, there was a rather innocent-looking disk. However, its saintly white color (unadorned by any label or ornament), belied its true contents. We (as all of the male student population of our school were soon to discover) had found Centerfold Squares, a game in which—you guessed right—you match pixelated picture cards of naked women. In hindsight, why we found this at all titillating is now beyond me. If memory serves, these pictures were far worse than the FMV footage found on a Mega CD game. However, I think the fact that this was considered "forbidden" or "contraband" provided half the thrill. Either way, that is not the point. The point is, some 3 years prior to the Internet going…err…viral, we were corrupting our fragile little minds with relative ease. Food for thought the next time someone decides to wax lyrical about the next game or app that is derided as "certain to cause anarchy in the UK."
Does anyone else have such fond memories of this time? If so, please feel free to leave a comment below.
Posted by
The Dace Man
- Monday, May 12, 2014
Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular Nation! Chris "The Dace Man" Dace here, back to drop some more Nerdstalgia on you! In this edition of "Lost Relics of the '90s," we take a look into the 1990 album The Simpsons Sing The Blues, the first offshoot album from the hit TV series The Simpsons.
If you were born in the late '80s or early '90s, you have pretty much grown up with the yellow family from Springfield, and Bart and Lisa have been there every step of the way. Now as much as you wish you could age like them—which is not at all—they did manage to drop this relic of an album on us pretty early in the Simpsons franchise.
The album hit the market in December 1990, barely a year after the premiere episode on FOX in '89. It would go on to hit number three on the Billboard 200. Having names such as DJ Jazzy Jeff and the iconic Michael Jackson attached to the project, the album was a hit—especially the single Do The Bartman. Now if you're like me, this song was a huge part of your childhood. There is poor-quality VHS out there of a young Dace Man kicking walls and essentially doing his own version of the Bartman. The song was co-written and co-produced by the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, but because Jackson was working for another label, he couldn't come right out and say he helped. (It's similar to how Wolverine is an Avenger, but because FOX controls the X-Men movie rights, we will never see him in Disney's Marvel Cinematic Universe.)
The success of The Simpsons Sing the Blues led other animated characters to try and take up a life within the music world. Barbie went on to release an album, and of course Disney took the ball and ran with it—from Sebastian in The Little Mermaid to that annoying chick from Frozen. (I didn't like that movie; "Let It Go" was whiny. But that's a topic for another day.) The album contains ten tracks, three of which were released as singles, with The Bart Man being the most successful of them.
- Do the Bartman
- School Day
- Born Under a Bad Sign
- Moanin' Lisa Blues
- Deep, Deep Trouble
- God Bless the Child
- I Love to See You Smile
- Springfield Soul Stew
- Look at All Those Idiots
- Sibling Rivalry
This would be the first of several album releases for
The Simpsons, including a couple of collections of songs from the TV Show sung by various characters in the town of Springfield. Through 25 years and 550 episodes, we've experienced a movie, music albums, games, and a ton of collectible toys and figures, but for me nothing was as iconic or everlasting as
The Simpsons Sings The Blues. I thoroughly regret not being able to save the original cassette. (For you young'uns out there, that's what we had before CDs, and CDs are what we had before your damn iPods.) Enjoy
The Bartman and this trip down '90s Boulevard, because we're 23 years out from this album's release and time is only moving forward...
As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a case of the Blues—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!
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Posted by
The Dace Man
- Friday, May 9, 2014
Hey there Dacitonians, The Dace Man is back to take you down nostalgia Route '90 and give you another Lost Relic from the golden age of entertainment! Last time I re-exposed you to the gem that is Europop by the band Eiffel 65, this time I'm going to jog your memory with a film from 1994. Directed by Jonathan Prince, written by Andrew Kurtzman and Eliot Wald, and starring Christopher Lloyd, Jonathan Jackson, and a very young Jessica Alba in her film debut, Camp Nowhere fed into the fantasy of every child who grew up at this time: a chance to get away for a summer and experience life's firsts, and overall have an epic adventure that would live on for years to tell.
The story follows a young kid nicknamed Mud as his parents decide to kick his butt out of the house for the summer and send him to computer camp. Mud would go on to find that his friends all suffered a similar fate—just to different camps. Enter Christopher Lloyd playing the character of a former drama teacher named Dennis who happens to owe money on a AMC Gremilin he bought. Insert classic '90s children blackmail, and the group is off to a camp to do whatever they want for the summer. After enjoying a summer of freedom, that dreaded Family Day that ultimately happens at all camps comes along, and then they have to spring into action to cover for what they've actually been doing. Sprinkle on some morality lessons because it's a Disney film and of course the send off of the Christopher Lloyd character who learned something, and you have your self a Lost Relic of the '90s!
I absolutely love this film because it allows me, a kid at the time who lived in his own world of creativity and ADD, to submerse myself into the idea of a summer of freedom where anything can happen. Even at the age of 25, I still have high hopes of that memorable summer that we can sing about in the fall just like John Travolta in Grease, but hey a crazy man can dream, right? I leave you with the trailer and most likely the urge to find this on Amazon or Netflix or something…you're welcome. Excuse the quality; after all, it was the '90s.
As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a Summer to Remember—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!
Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sand & Snow: A Game of Thrones Podcast | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime
Posted by
Unknown
- Friday, April 25, 2014
Starting today, April 25, through October 17, David Hasselhoff is touring Europe for a huge celebration of the '80s and '90s. This is a live 3-hour show featuring many of our favorite artists such as Vengaboys, Rick Astley, Samantha Fox, and more! Alongside our hair-band heroes will, of course, be host David Hasselhoff and KITTitt, his artificially-intelligent car from
Knight Rider.
Thrown in with this nostalgic-gumbo to get your blood pumping with flair will be "flashback videos, lasers, and amazing pyrotechnics and special effects." The lucky countries to be visited will include Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Croatia, Netherlands, and more! For all of your news and information you can visit celebrate80s90s.com or watch Hasselhoff's promo below. Tell us what you think; will this shindig rock the house, or are you betting on a drab party?
Posted by
The Dace Man
- Sunday, April 13, 2014
Yo, listen up. Here's a story! About a Euro band that swept the music world. And all day, and all night and everything we heard was just Blue, on the radio, inside and outside.
Now that I've gotten that out of my system, lets dive into one of the lost relics of the '90s. Chris "The Dace Man" Dace here, bringing you a gem from the '90s that was able to catch my gnat-like attention span and hook me till the end. What am I talking about? I'm talking about the 1999 album from Eiffel 65, entitled Europop.
So, I know what you're thinking: Yes, I am that crazy. But, c'mon, the moment you read the first line of this article, you know you were singing the song Blue (Da Ba Dee). To me, this album is fantastic because it incorporates absolutely nothing you'd find on my playlists. I love this album from start to finish, yet you will not find another euro, techno, italiano thingumabob song anywhere on my music player, I can guarantee that. Because of this album's uniqueness, it was one of the first albums I bought as a child that wasn't Weird Al. I mean, just take a look at the track listing:
1. Blue (Da Ba Dee)
2. Too Much Of Heaven
3. Dub In Life
4. Living In A Bubble
5. Move Your Body
6. My Console
7. Your Clown
8. Another Race
9. The Edge
10. Now Is Forever
11. Silicon World
12. Europop
13. Hyperlink (Deep Down)
14. Blue (Da Ba Dee) Extended Mix
The fact that they released a song entitled My Console, in which they sang about how they were playing on the PlayStation, is an automatic win in my book. I often find myself singing several of these songs every day over a decade later—and no, not just Blue—which I think is a testament to how awesome this album is. Am I the only one who feels this way? Quite possibly, but that's why I'm writing this article. As a teen, I thoroughly enjoyed this album from start to finish, and I still do today. In fact, as I write this article I'm currently listening in the background to the original CD—you know, those archaic round things.
On the US Billboard 200, the album Europop reached number four and went platinum twice by February 2000. It released four singles on the radio airwaves—Blue, Move Your Body, Too Much of Heaven, and My Console—with Blue reaching number six on the Billboard Hot 100. Though lightning never struck the band twice in the States, they stayed active up until 2005, and then reemerged in 2010. They're currently touring in Europe and Australia.
As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case AutoTune!—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!
Posted by
Miguel Leon
- Thursday, March 27, 2014
And so we've reached the final four in our ongoing series of the top 16 greatest games of the late '90s. We've highlighted lots of video game titans, from original characters like Lara Croft and Mario to pop culture figures like James Bond and Tony Hawk. But now we list the top four of that era. Let's begin at the end with number four.
4. Banjo-Kazooie
Like its predecessor before it in the 8- and 16-bit eras, Super Mario 64 ushered in a next-generation renaissance in platform gaming. Back in the SNES/Genesis era, every company on the market that had a jumping mascot was trying their hand at implementing the third dimension. Some eventually got their groove on (Sonic 3D Blast to Sonic Adventure); others made "admirable" strides into this new gameplay type (Megaman Legends), while the rest crashed and burned at the gate (Bubsy 3D). Leave it to Rare—the company that gave Mario a run for its money in platforming in the SNES days with their Donkey Kong Country series—to do the same on the Nintendo 64 with 1998's Banjo-Kazooie.
Originally conceived as a platformer on the the SNES labeled Project Dream, development was shifted over to the N64 due to time. After numerous rewrites and redesigns, the main character was changed from a boy named Edison to the bear/bird duo we know and love. The main story of Banjo-Kazooie is the quest to save Banjo the bear's captured little sister, Tooty, from the evil Gruntilda, who intends to steal Tooty's youth and beauty for herself. Banjo and Kazooie must traverse Grunty's castle (via several sub-worlds within) in order to reach the top and fight to get said sister back.
So what makes Banjo-Kazooie better than the iconic Super Mario 64? Well, everything. While I give a lot of these games credit for their contribution to gaming history, I also can't deny when a game is just plain good, or even better than its predecessors. In this case, I have to give Banjo-Kazooie credit. This game takes everything about SM64 and ramps it up tenfold. Gone are the flat textures of SM64. Here we have tons of graphical detail, not only in the textures, but in the overlevels and character designs. Control is much more fleshed-out, allowing a lot more moves in Banjo than in Mario. Not only can you jump, swat, and hip drop like Mario, but you can also fly using your partner, Kazooie, who can also shoot eggs and help you reach areas inaccessible to Banjo. Levels have a much bigger and more organic feel to them than in Mario. Where Mario's levels were built around whatever star you were going after in each one, Banjo's levels are free and sprawling. You could go from one quest to the other without being taken out of the level and starting from square one. There also seems to be a lot more interactivity in Banjo-Kazooie's levels than in Mario 64.
This leads us to the biggest difference between Mario and Banjo: the writing. For all intents and purposes, Mario 64 really was a one-person game. Aside from Toad and the occasional ancillary character, it was just you and the game. In Banjo-Kazooie, you meet a whole host of unique and interesting characters, and the dialog between them is sharp, witty, and always hilarious. It helps to create an atmosphere that I don't think you get with Mario 64. You really start to connect with the main protagonists and their universe. It also doesn't hurt that that gameplay centers around the classic jumping, exploring, and collecting that made platformers the king of '90s gaming. Banjo-Kazooie is proof that as much as it's great to be the first, sometimes it's better just to be the best.
3. Pokémon Yellow
Do I even have to mention why? Its Pokémon. It's that one magical franchise that encapsulated childhood in the late '90s. We all played the games, watched the show, and collected the cards. Some of us still break out the old Red and Blue versions from time to time, or engage in a spirited match with the Pokémon Trading Card Game. It would have been easy to put the original Red and Blue on this list, and even more tempting to cheat by including Gold and Silver instead (which were out in Japan in 1999). But to be fair, I think we can agree that out of the original three, the standout of the pack was 1999's Pokémon Yellow or Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition.
Yes, this version took a page right out of the accompanying TV show and put you in the figurative shoes of its protagonist, Ash (or whatever name you decided to go with). But the most important thing was that the game mimicked key plot elements of the series, while still retaining the overall feel of the original two games. You had your main Pokémon—the titular Pikachu—follow you around outside of battles; you were given all the starters early on; and you even got to fight Jesse and James of the infamous Team Rocket. It was the complete Pokémon experience.
What, are you expecting more in-depth description of why this game is awesome? OK, long story short for those of you who still don't know about Pokémon: You collect little creatures that have elemental powers and battle other creatures and their trainers, in the process leveling up your creatures' abilities in an attempt to be the best Pokémon trainer in the world. It's more complicated than that, but that's all you get if you are new to the series. Now, in terms of other improvements, the most impressive was that this was the first full-color Pokémon game. Also, a lot of the game's art was either improved from the original sprites or reworked to match that of the corresponding characters on the TV series. It was a welcome boost.
All in all, there's not much that can be said. If you're any kind of video game fan, or if you grew up in the '90s, you already know why Pokémon is so awesome and why Pokémon Yellow stands at the top of the card.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Admit it, you knew this was coming. There are certain games that we as gamers are conditioned from inception to hold dear. You have your Marios and your Final Fantasy VIIs, but the one title that seems to get the most unanimous praise as a benchmark in not just late '90s gaming, but gaming in general, is 1998's The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Like Super Mario 64 before it, Ocarina of Time's biggest accomplishment was taking the massive universe that the Legend of Zelda games are known for, going back to the original on the NES, and fleshing it out in 3D without compromising the core gameplay.
Combat took full advantage of the new third dimension by pioneering the N64's signature "Z targeting" system, which allowed for fluid and precise combat. (For those of you too young to remember, this was a big problem with early action titles at that time.) Graphically, the game is massive even by PS1 standards. Given how limited the space on an N64 game could be, it's impressive that Ocarina of Time could rival the then-current Final Fantasy games in terms of grandeur. Sound design also got an orchestral boost that took the classic tunes of the original game and ramped them up.
But simply upgrading the original wouldn't make a game memorable if it didn't have a great backbone, and that's where the story comes in. As you probably guessed from the title, the game does a lot with the concept of time. You start the first half of the game as a child, and by collecting various talismans, you wind up time traveling seven years to the future to play as adult Link. This is important in that it shows you how the world has evolved since your adventures as a child. You meet up with all sorts of characters in the first half of the game, and seeing how they've evolved in your adult life gives you a strong sense of connection with the world. You feel that these characters are more than just scenery, that they have a special connection to Link. And since Link isn't given an overt personality or voice, you feel a real connection to these people. Its a much deeper story than most probably expected, and it's withstood the test of time by forming the template for all subsequent Zelda games, even as recently as Skyward Sword. Longevity is the mark of a true classic, and Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has definitely cemented its spot.
1. Metal Gear Solid
As the technology of video games evolved, many companies tried to emulate the cinematic feel of movies in interactive media. But while early attempts were less than stellar (full motion video, anyone?), developers were even more driven to attempt this once 3D arrived on mainstream consoles with the PS1. And while Final Fantasy VII ushered in the idea of 3D video in 1997, it took until 1998 for Hideo Kojima and the folks at Konami to finally give gamers the feeling that they were playing a big-budget action movie with Metal Gear Solid. This was the next chapter in the Metal Gear series, which was introduced on the NES in 1987. You play as Solid Snake—a one-man Seal Team Six—as he infiltrates a nuclear weapons disposal facility on Shadow Moses Island in order to save a high-ranking government head and a major arms manufacturer.
There are so many factors that set Metal Gear Solid apart from what was out at the time. First and foremost, there was the gameplay. This game wasn't a tradition action title; instead, the goal was stealth. Your job was to maneuver around the battlefield and avoid confrontation. And while you did have stealth games in that era, like the Thief series, no other mainstream console title really tasked the player to use stealth. You could say that Metal Gear Solid pioneered the stealth action genre and paved the way for titles like the Splinter Cell series. Building on the first Metal Gear's original design, Metal Gear Solid enhanced the gameplay with real-world tweaks like enemies hearing the sounds you make or finding your tracks in the snow. Running and gunning were out of the question; patience and attentiveness were the name of the game.
But what really set Metal Gear Solid apart from everything else was its presentation. The production value of this game was nothing that had ever been seen before. Whereas games in the full motion video era were aping movies, Metal Gear Solid started with gameplay and molded the cinema around it, with fantastic results. The story feels like it was pulled right from the mind of Tom Clancy, its constant twists and turns mixed with real-world elements and a dash of topical "ripped from the headlines" fiction. It had a realistic weight to it that no other game at the time was pulling off.
The game's real star was voice actor David Hayter, who brought Solid Snake to life and gave him the depth and personality that made the character a household name among gamers. Add to that the great supporting cast—including such characters as Colonel Roy Campbell, prisoner of war-turned-ally Meryl Silverburgh, and the always-offbeat Dr. Hal "Otacon" Emmerich—along with fantastic set pieces and multiple branching story paths, and you have a game that defines the word "epic."
And that's why this is the greatest game of the late '90s. While some would argue that games like Resident Evil and Final Fantasy VII advanced the image of games in the mainstream, Metal Gear Solid brought games mainstream acceptance as more than just kid stuff. Evolving the way games told stories, it bridged the gap between games and movies, and showed the potential that games had in entertainment. And while in most respects the series has jumped the shark a bit (some would even argue it was jumped as early as MGS2), there's a reason that the Metal Gear Solid series has lived on into its fourth console generation. Games like Call of Duty, Gears of War, and even Halo owe a ton of gratitude to Metal Gear Solid, the first true video game blockbuster.
And with that, we end our countdown. I'd like to thank all of you out there for sticking around this long (and I mean LONG) to see the end. We'll see where the series as a whole goes from here. But if this is the end, at least we get to go out on a high note!
By the way, If you got something to say, please comment in the comments section.
Posted by
Miguel Leon
- Sunday, January 12, 2014
In Part 3 of our countdown, we have a set of four titles that all transcend mere personal taste and cross into the realm of cultural significance. Each of these titles in a way helped pave the way for their respected genres. This time, we look at all ends of the gaming spectrum, and continue on with number 8.
8. Tomb Raider. It's amazing that a franchise of games that have varied so wildly along the spectrum of quality could find a way to constantly reinvent itself and stay relevant even as recently as 2013. With the original game released in 1996, the gaming world was introduced to Lara Croft, video gaming's first leading lady. A lot of modern fans scoff at just how significant the first game was. At a time when games were seen as kid's stuff, Lara was one of the first human leading characters to come into the post-NES 3D era. She wasn't just some throw away character lad in a 2D side scroller; she had longevity. This is pretty significant, especially because she's a woman. At a time when video games were still a boy's playground, to have a female lead catch on as strongly as she did is something to really behold. The fact that even today she has reached an elder-statesman level in video gaming history just shows her impact. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the sex angle of it all. Lets face facts, I'm sure a lot of the fan base she had was teenagers stuck in those "awkward" years. That's nothing to sneeze at, either. Going back to the comment about the kid's stuff, Lara brought an adult character into the mainstream that nongamers could identify. She wasn't just a gamer crush; she had all guys wanting her (in a matter of speaking). What other actress can say that her lineage as a sex symbol was solidified because she played a video game character. That's right, I'll say it: Lara Croft MADE Angelina Jolie. THAT is something to behold. Let's see Bob Hoskins claim that! Seriously though, the original Tomb Raider may not have aged as well as other games of its day, but thanks to developers constantly giving the old girl a fresh look, we will be seeing the exploits of this adventure queen for years to come.
7. Half-Life. Before 1998's Half-Life, the first-person shooter (FPS) scene was in the middle of a change. Games were shedding the 2D sprites of the Doom era and moving into the 3D world with games such as Quake in 1996. While the looks were changing, the core of gameplay wasn't; you were still going around corridors, blasting enemies, and finding keys and levers to open doors (for the most part). Half-Life completely changed that status quo. From the moment you start that famous train ride, you are just going through what is a normal day as Gordon Freeman—an every-man scientist working at his top secret government job. Okay, that doesn't sound so "every man," but for the first part of the game, nothing happens. You walk around your surroundings, talk to strangers, and generally loiter about until your main bosses call you in to assist in a new experiment. From there, you open a gate to an alien dimension, and the game starts proper. Or does it? That's what really set Half-Life apart at the time. You weren't just thrown into a hostile environment, forced to blow stuff up Rambo-style. You were still just an every man. Your first weapon is a crowbar. You're going through the motions just as anyone else would. As you do, the game unfolds with you, not in cutscenes. This was interactive storytelling, which you didn't have in mainstream FPS titles that weren't a role-playing game (RPG) at the time. Sure, as the game got deeper, you wound up falling into action FPS troupes with the onslaught of military personnel trying to cover up your escapades, but for the most part, it's just you and the environment. No grandiose score, no enemies that just pop up out of the shadows. Just you and your crowbar. Simply put, Half-Life is to FPS titles what Die Hard was for action movies. Like Die Hard, its lineage can be felt today. Games such as Call of Duty and Halo owe their gameplay to Half-Life. It is a milestone for modern FPSs. The same could be said for our next candidate.
6. GoldenEye 007. Regarded by many old-school gamers as one of the quintessential Nintendo 64 games, 1997's Goldeneye 007 was milestone for console gaming. In an era in which FPSs were just branching out of their static Doom-esque confines and exploring fully realized 3D, Goldeneye shocked PC gamers by proving that the humble video game console could produce an FPS that could best its PC brethren. Originally designed by Rare as an on-rails shooter à la Time Crisis, Goldeneye faithfully recreated key parts of its 1995 theatrical namesake while still doing more of its own thing. New to the mix was the use of stealth, something not seen in previous FPSs. Rather than going in and blowing everything up, there was emphasis on silent kills, shooting out cameras, and spying on enemies to track their placements. It really tried to emulate what it would be like to play as 007. Even today, its still considered one of the greatest movie-based games in modern gaming. Yet that's not why Goldeneye really has lived on as long as it has. No, its legacy lies within its multiplayer system. Goldeneye was the game that brought deathmatch multiplayer out of the PC landscape and into the split-screen world of consoles. Goldeneye's multiplayer boasted not just your usual deathmatch mode but also three other modes cleverly based on titles from the Bond portfolio, including "The Living Daylights," "You Only Live Twice," "License to Kill," and "The Man with the Golden Gun." I can safely say that there were many college nights in the late 90s and early 2000s spent on all-night Goldeneye sessions. The legacy of this game is truly legendary, to the point where the game was later remade in 2010/2011 by Activision in a vain attempt to recapture that original lightning in a bottle. Although that game limped out of the starting gate to mediocre reviews, history will always have the original title as a high water mark for video gaming of the late 90s. Speaking of high water marks on the N64…
5. Super Mario 64. Now, before I go into why I put this game as low as I have on this countdown, let me start by saying that I in no way downplay the impact this game had on modern gaming. Super Mario 64 did for 3D platforming what the original Super Mario Bros. did for 2D platformers. Very few games at the time had experimented with 3D, let alone 3D platformers. Sure, games such as Sonic 3D Blast and Nights into Dreams came out mere weeks apart from Mario 64, but they merely flirted with the gameplay concepts that Mario 64 brought to the table. Super Mario 64 was made from the ground up to take advantage of the brand-new Nintendo 64 technology. The game was one of the first to really take advantage of the new N64 analog stick, giving you a full 360 degrees of movement at your disposal. Combined with a dynamic camera system that never hindered the player during the game, you had the archetype for how a 3D platformer should move. Mario ran, jumped, and hip-stomped his way through fifteen unique levels ranging from haunted houses, caves, deserts, and even the inside of a giant grandfather clock. The level designs were all unique and never seemed to be built to hinder the player. This is a big deal because in those days, even in days after, building a 3D world for a platformer that wasn't play-test friendly was difficult for even the most seasoned veterans. Mario 64 also brought several new features to the series, including new power-ups such as the metal cap (which makes Mario all metal and invulnerable), the vanish cap (which allows Mario to walk through walls), and the spiritual successor to the tanooki suit and cape, the wing cap. This game became the template that a lot of 3D games still follow to this day and singlehandedly carried the N64 to success (and that's not hyperbole, given that this game was one of only two games released for the system at launch). Super Mario 64 is a stepping stone for video gaming, and even today the game is still regarded as such. Although four other games are higher on this list, that doesn't diminish its place in history.
With that, we have reached the final four. When Super Mario 64 doesn't even make the top 4, that means the last four have to be true classics. Which games made the cut? Stay tuned, and find out.
Hey, Hey, LISTEN.......Got an opinion on this? Leave a comment below and let the world know that I'm right or wrong.
Posted by
Miguel Leon
- Monday, November 25, 2013
Part Two of our look at the top sixteen greatest games of the late 1990s is here, and this week we look at numbers 12 through 9. There's not much that can be said that hasn't been said in the last entry, so we'll just continue on with number 12.
12. Duke Nukem 3D: Released in 1996 By 3D Realms, Duke Nukem 3D may not have been the original first-person shooter to be released, but what Duke Nukem 3D brought to the masses can't be overlooked. The original Duke Nukem games were side-scroller action games released by Apogee (the maiden name for 3D Realms) and followed the exploits of Duke, a walking parody of '90s action movie lead tropes. Part Three took the same premise and brought it to first-person 3D. With that, DN3D brought to FPS games its first leading man. Sure, we had the likes of "Doomguy," but that was the barest stretch of a character. Duke had a look, a voice, and an attitude that immediately resonated with the rebellious nature of the mid-'90s Generation X crowd.
Following in the footsteps of the first two series titles, Duke Nukem 3D also brought a wealth of pop culture references, including movies ranging from 2001: A Space Odyssey to Shawshank Redemption, and even then-current pop culture news (there's a TV showing a police car chasing a white Ford Bronco). Duke's crass and rebellious nature even started controversy from the mainstream, bringing attention to all the rampant violence and sexually explicit content the game came with (what with all the strippers you could tip to show their partially-censored breasts to you). This attention no doubt helps cement Duke's place in video game history, but that doesn't mean it was all show and no go.
DK3D's build engine was advanced for its time. The gameplay played much faster and looser than the games before it; enemies seemed to be much more of a challenge than your imps and Nazis from previous titles. But what really put it over as a unique game was its ingenious level design. The build engine allowed for some truly unique levels, due to a system that did not limit levels to size and proximity. Levels can be built anywhere and go anywhere. Whole floors can stack and connect onto themselves regardless of size and shape, hallways could loop in on themselves endlessly, and rooms could lead into smaller rooms that are actually much bigger inside. This led to unique and fun gameplay. A game that truly defined fun in the '90s, this game has provided a much longer legacy than its unfortunate predecessor Duke Nukem Forever, but thanks to this game being ported to every console and its mother, we can remember Duke Nukem 3D for what it was.
11. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night: Dubbed "Metroid-Vania" by fans and critics alike, 1997's Symphony of the Night was... a commercial flop. At least here in the States, the game was imported with very little marketing, and subsequently failed to sell very well in its initial run. But thanks to word of mouth from critics and fans, the game stands as the definition of a cult classic, on par with the likes of Mario in terms of 2D gaming of that era. So what is it about SOTN that makes it the darling of the Castlevania series? Up until this point, the series had established itself as a solid 2D action series, especially thanks to the success of Super Castlevania 4 on the Super Nintendo. But with the release of Symphony, the folks at Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo raised the gameplay bar in every way.
Before going into what changes were made, it's best to at least sum up the plot. Symphony is direct sequel of sorts to the Japanese version of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood. (I say Japanese because the American version on the SNES changed the ending, which ruins continuity.) You start off playing the last fight of Rondo of Blood as Richter Belmont against Dracula and winning. From there, you jump ahead four years and play as Dracula's son, Alucard, who is hell-bent on destroying Dracula's castle. It is here that you find out that Dracula is not as dead as you think, and that Richter might be at the center of all this. Along the way you meet up with familiar characters straight from Rondo of Blood, including Maria (a vampire hunter Richter rescues from the first game) and Dracula's assistant, Shaft. All of this is the usual fare that leads you to the final climactic battle with Dracula.
However, what isn't part of the usual fare is how you take that journey. It is here that the game deviates from the norm and stands out among its predecessors. Gone are the straightforward levels of the original games. This time the game lives up to its Metroid namesake, confining you to the sprawling castle interiors. Much of the game is about exploring the castle's numerous locked doors and diverging pathways, with more emphasis on backtracking than getting to the end of the level. For some, this might seem like a step back in the action, but Symphony steps the game up with new RPG elements in hand. Gone is the classic whip; in exchange, you have a myriad of weapons and items at your disposal, as well as new character attributes (including strength, intelligence, defense, and luck) and a leveling system that will help you work your way up to fighting against the ultimate evil of Dracula.
It's not only in gameplay where Symphony makes a leap. Graphically the game is stunning, with more detailed sprites and smoother animations than previously seen in the series. While it was a big gamble for the series' first PS1 game to stick with 2D, it was worth the risk (especially given that the 3D alternative, Castlevania 64, didn't fare as well in the transition). Also included with the looks is the sound—a widely varied soundtrack that not only spans numerous genres from jazz and classical to thrash metal and techno, but sounds amazing thanks to the much more advanced CD capabilities of the PS1.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night was a shot in the arm for the series and set the stage for it for years to come. It may not have been the massive splash Konami was hoping for in the US, but it clearly has etched its place in the long run in video gaming in the '90s.
10. Resident Evil: Released in 1996 for the Sony Playstation, Resident Evil is seen as a trailblazer not just in video games, but in modern entertainment. While the latter boast might seem like hyperbole, when you consider today's fascination with zombies in the entertainment world, its easy to see how this game sparked popular culture's curiosity with the undead. Taking the gameplay facets of previous titles like Alone in the Dark and infusing them with the zombie mythos set up by the likes of George Romero's Night of the Living Dead, Resident Evil seemingly crafted its own genre of gaming, dubbed "Survival Horror."
So what is Resident Evil all about? The premise is simple. You play two of several members of the local SWAT analog of the fictional Raccoon City who are sent to a nearby mansion on the outskirts of town. From there, you discover that the house is overrun with the undead—both zombies and other horrific oddities (including mutant plants and zombie dogs). As you learn more and more about the house, you uncover a sinister plot carried out by the evil Umbrella Corporation and take it upon yourself to stop their plans by any means necessary.
Rather than make this a run and gun first person shooter (which was actually the initial development plan), the developers at Capcom opted for a slower, moodier set-up. Movement is stilted and slower-paced, while the camera is fixed into positions that give a gloomier look to the environment. Couple that with a limited arsenal of weapons that you to have to severely regulate, and what would be seen as a gaming hindrance by today's standards actually combined to make a taut, tense gameplay experience where you really never knew what was gonna creep out from around and try to bite you, or if you would have what it takes to survive.
Since the first game, the series legacy can be seen in today's obsession with the undead, as seen in the numerous zombie-related movies, books, and TV shows. The series itself has even spawned a movie franchise spanning multiple successful films. The game series itself has even evolved past its PS1 roots, delving into online gaming (Outbreak), arcade light gun gaming (Dead Aim and Survivor), and even the main series has shed its slower paced gameplay for more of an action-adventure pace with Resident Evil 4 and beyond. Most importantly though, is the series spawned many copycat franchises of its own that capitalized on the new survival horror genre. One of which would be...
9. Silent Hill: As Resident Evil's success grew in the late '90s, so too did the number of contenders to challenge Capcom's crown in the survival horror ring. Square released Parasite Eve in 1998, which took the RE formula and mixed it with RPG elements. Sony released Syphon Filter in 1999, which took the basic story of Resident Evil but put more emphasis on action and espionage. Even Capcom that same year released their own competitor to their own franchise with Dino Crisis, which took the survival horror formula, but substituted zombies with dinosaurs. However, among all these games released that year, Konami brought out what most consider the biggest competitor to Resident Evil, Silent Hill.
Silent Hill is the story of Harry Mason, a single father who is trapped in the hazy, mysterious town of Silent Hill, trying to locate his adopted daughter Cheryl. Along the way he meets other occupants of the town, including a local cop named Cybil Bennet. As the story progresses, you realize there is more to this town than meets the eye. You start to slip into an alternate version of the town, one filled with evil creatures and nightmarish imagery.
What makes this game more effective in terms of survival horror is that it focuses less on action and more on mood. While Resident Evil had its tense moments, it was always at its core an action-adventure game (a distinction that would come full circle in later iterations). Silent Hill focused more on limiting the player and heightening the fear. Less emphasis is put on gunplay and more on hand-to-hand combat, often pressing you to avoid conflict with the numerous grotesque creatures you will face. Many levels are cloaked in darkness, forcing you to use a flashlight. Sound also plays a huge factor in the mood of Silent Hill. Music is used sparingly; the game relies largely on ambient noise. Most effective, though, is one of your main items; a radio that emits static when enemies are near. Walking through a dark tunnel and hearing your radio go off without you being able to see the enemy shambling towards you creates a kind of fear that Resident Evil could never pull off.
But what really puts Silent Hill a step above Resident Evil is its storytelling. As the game progresses, you warp between the main town and a much darker "other world," yet the game always second-guesses whether the world you warp to is real or a figment of your imagination. It is this depth of narrative that brings a sense of psychological fear that stretches further than the standard zombie menace story. Since the first iteration, the series has grow more and more robust in fear (with many labeling Silent Hill 2 the scariest game of all time). But there's no denying those seeds were sown deep in the first chapter of the series.
And thus we end Part Two. So what do we have to look forward to going into the home stretch? We look at icons of the brainy, the buxom, the stylish, and the super. Check out Part Three, coming soon.
Posted by
Miguel Leon
- Friday, October 11, 2013
The late 1990s were a magical time for video games. We started 1995 coming out of the 16-bit golden age of gaming and ended 1999 with the start of the next generation of gaming. From the SNES to the Playstation and all the way to the Sega Dreamcast, never before has the industry moved along so quickly in such as short space of time. Video games grew out of the "kid stuff" of the early 90s and into an industry that engulfed all age groups. We morphed from 2D side scrolling sprites all the way to fully realized 3D landscapes. Everything was bigger and better.
So here I am today, about to whittle down a time spanning three console generations (including PC) into 16 of what I consider to be the best of the best. There's a lot to choose from, and a lot of favorites are off this list right from jump street. I am basing this on my own gaming habits and knowledge; I can't in all fairness put a game on this list that I didn't play, and others just did nothing for me. This list might divide people, but I come to back up my thoughts over the next 4 weeks. So without further ado, here are my top 16 greatest games of the late 90s.
16. Diddy Kong Racing: Nothing brings people closer together like a kart racer. Since the arrival of Super Mario Kart on the SNES, kart racers have become one of the quintessentials for any party (right up there with a good fighting game and good music peripheral game). In the late 90s everyone was seemingly dipping their toes into the kart racing pool. I could have gone with Mario Kart 64, the grand-daddy of the modern kart racer, or I could have chosen the more graphically polished and tighter-controlled Crash Team Racing, but I chose the middle of the two, 1997's Diddy Kong Racing (DKR). Developed by Rare for the Nintendo 64, this game took the gameplay of Mario Kart 64 and evolved as much of it as it could. The biggest evolution was having a story mode in which you are guided by a Middle Eastern elephant genie to save a small island of creatures from the wrath of an evil space pig. Seems legit. From there, you travel across different themed areas (from prehistoric times to a snowy mountain land to a small medieval village), race other characters new to the Donkey Kong universe (two of them getting their own games in Banjo-Kazooie and Conker's Bad fur Day), and battle a quartet of mini bosses. Meanwhile you're unlocking trophies in order to gain the right to race against the evil space pig, Wizpig, for the fate of your friends and their island. New to the mechanics were different vehicles, including hovercrafts for racing over water and planes. Also new were the weapons, which take the standard missiles, boosters, and invulnerability and upscale them, turning a simple missile into a barrage of ten missiles or a simple oil slick into a momentum-killing bubble. What makes DKR a more well-rounded party game over other games such as Crash Team Racing, however, is its multiplayer mode. Not only did it take the battle mode from Mario Kart 64, but it also added variations of scavenger hunts. Where Crash Team Racing just copied DKR for the PlayStation 1, DKR took the gameplay of Mario Kart 64 and evolved it every step of the way. It's a game that is essential for not just any party but also for anyone who has a Nintendo 64.
15. Tony Hawk Pro Skater (THPS): Released in 1999, THPS redefined its own genre. Up until that point, even in the heyday of the mid-90s extreme sports fad, you didn't have many games that brought that extreme sports feel to video games in a big way. Sure, you had the Cool Boarders series, but that was more a downhill racing title with very little (and from what I remember, clumsy) emphasis on tricks. THPS was one of the first modern titles (I say that because I do remember 720 and Skate or Die from the NES days) to put the emphasis on the tricks themselves. However, tricks would be nothing without good controls and good level design, and those hallmarks are what made THPS live on and dominate its field for as long as it did. It had a perfect arcade "pick up and play" feel to it. Within a few runs, you were grinding, flipping, and grabbing your way to gold, linking up combo after combo. Another memorable facet was the soundtrack: THPS was a franchise that could take pride in having one of the best-made soundtracks in all of gaming, and part 1 was no exception, having a well-rounded list of memorable 90s skate punk classics. Yet what I think really put the game over the top and was most unlike other games before it was that you actually got to play as the skate legends themselves. From Bob Burnquist to Bucky Lasek to the man himself, Mr. Tony Hawk, you got to actually play as them in game. You got to pull off the legendary 900 as the man himself! At the time, that was a big selling point. As the series went on there were many copycats from other companies such as THQ (MTV Sports Skateboarding) to Acclaim (Dave Mirra Pro BMX) and even Konami (Evolution Skateboarding), but none could keep up with the series until 2007's Skate. By then, however, the series had hit a wall, having evolving as much as it could with its previous incarnations before delving into unnecessary bloating (remember Ride?). The series then laid dormant until 2012 when Tony Hawk Pro Skater HD was released for the PlayStation Network/Xbox Live, which was not only a revisit to the past mechanics of the series but also garnered positive fanfare and criticism from the press. The future of the series might still be shaky at best, but no one can take away the impact that the first game had on video gaming in the late 1990s.
14. Earthbound: I'm just gonna come out and say it: I am not the biggest fan of all role playing games (RPGs). Over the years I have tried to get into certain franchises, but usually the only ones that have stuck with me are more action-based RPGs such as Elder Scrolls, Champions of Norrath, and Diablo. The ones that I find hardest to get into are what you would consider the atypical Japanese RPGs such as Final Fantasy. This presents an issue, because a lot of people would consider the mid- to late 90s as a golden period for these games. In my research I gave many of them the chance to allure me, but out of all the main contenders, only one really stood out for me: 1995's Earthbound.
What is it about this cult gem, developed by HAL Labs and produced by Nintendo, that stands out to me over the likes of Chrono Trigger and the long-fabled Final Fantasy 7? What really stood out to me, besides being a pretty solid RPG in its own right, is the fact that it's so different. Your main protagonist is not some orphaned boy seeking revenge or some loner with a troubled past. He's a young boy with a loving family who is called upon by a mysterious young girl to save the world. The whole game has an offbeat sense of humor to it that sets it apart from the standard melodrama of RPGs of that time. Very rarely does the game get too heady in its themes, even toward the end (which if you know the back story, is pretty disturbing). Yet what really sets it apart are the in-jokes and references. There are countless nods to classic poetry, artists and their works, and even multiple references to the works of The Beatles. Heck, the game even breaks the fourth wall multiple times, most notably with having a talking dog who is actually inhabited by the spirit of the game's lead developer. It's this kind of offbeat mood that really sets Earthbound apart from the standard sword and sorcery RPGs like Chrono Trigger or cyberpunk outings such as Phantasy Star. The game is really hard to find, and expensive to boot, but if you can get your hands on it, I highly recommend it.
13. Shenmue: Released in 1999 at the launch of the Sega Dreamcast by Sega AM2, Shenmue is a game that many modern titles owe a lot to in terms of trailblazing. Before Grand Theft Auto started the frenzy of open world exploration, before Resident Evil opened up the idea of interactive quick time events, before games such as LA Noire and Heavy Rain opened up gamers to the idea of story-driven adventure games, Shenmue was doing all of those things and more. Shenmue was an interactive detective story set in 1986 in which you play Ryo Hazuki, a young man attempting to solve the mystery behind the death of his father. You do this by going around towns talking to patrons and collecting info along the way to help your discovery. This isn't the only thing you're able to do, as Shenmue also boasts a level of world interactivity that was years ahead of its time. You could go into arcade shops and play full-length Sega arcade titles, interact with prize machines and collect little knickknacks, or even play games like pool. There are fights in it as well, complemented by the fighting engine, which borrows heavily from AM2's previous franchise, Virtua Fighter. Also mentioned are quick timed events that play out during cut scenes and can affect how the story plays out. Shenmue was truly a groundbreaking game, and although its production cost was more than it could even make back (at a then record-breaking 40 million), it has amassed many accolades and has a rabid fan base that is clamoring for a conclusion to the cliffhanger ending left by the game developers with Shenmue 2. For being a title that could truly call itself a trailblazer, Shenmue gets on this list of the greatest games of the late 90s.
With that, we end the first part of the countdown. Next time we will see which games break into the top 10. A hint: The dead will rise, and the only two heroes who can stop them are a muscle-bound ass-kicker in sunglasses and the Prince of Darkness.
Posted by
Sean Mitchell
- Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Why do we love gaming? It's a medium wholly dependent upon our input. This gives games the power to impact us in completely unique ways. As a result of that, games become memorable to us for reasons completely different than the written word, or movies and television. This is dedicated to the most memorable moments in gaming.
When I was seven, for my birthday I received a Sega Genesis. Sega's landmark was a little franchise called Sonic the Hedgehog. But this isn't about the first game. This is about what would become a series staple, debuted in the sequel. Going Super Sonic. One of video game's MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS!
Super Sonic was something special when it was first introduced. But what made Super Sonic special wasn't the fact that it was just a powerup. Everything that went into Super Sonic made it feel special. You needed to earn seven mystical gems called the Chaos Emeralds. Once you had all seven, and at least fifty rings, jumping into the air caused the blue hedgehog to turn golden. Super Sonic was like Mario's Starman blended with hookers and blow. While Starman had a time limit, Super Sonic lasted as long as Sonic had rings. It made the already speedy Sonic even faster, not to mention impervious.
Super Sonic was special because you had to EARN it. Well. Or cheat your balls off. But when Sonic 2 was new, cheats were much harder to come by. The internet wasn't really a thing. And while we're being honest, the minigames that you had to go through to collect the Chaos Emeralds in Sonic 2? Impossible. But the fact that it was so difficult to unlock just added to the mystique. Sega would eventually tone down the difficulty slightly by changing the minigame in Sonic 3, but gathering all the emeralds still felt like a special accomplishment.
The Chaos Emeralds were always a part of Sonic the Hedgehog, but were utilized best from Sonic 2 - Sonic & Knuckles. These games implemented the emeralds perfectly. In Sonic 1, the emeralds were still in the game, but their impact was incredibly minimal. The next three titles would introduce and sustain their use as a prerequisite for Super Sonic. Sonic Adventure would go on to add the Chaos Emeralds as a plot device. Making the gems part of the story took away some of the allure.
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| Back when they were useless there were only six. |
The emeralds were the ultimate in game collectible at the time. You could play through any of the Sega Genesis era 2D Sonic games and not know they were there. We all DID know, of course. Even before the internet. We had to, sometimes literally, jump through hoops to obtain them. They were exclusive. They were illusive. Once you've had the taste of Super Sonic power, there is no going back. You always WILL jump through those hoops. And that's why Super Sonic is one of video game's most memorable moments.
Posted by
Miguel Leon
- Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Today's entry and I have an interesting past, specifically its predecessor, the original Dino Crisis. I got that game as a gift, and really had no intention of playing it. to be frank: I was terrified by games like that. For those of you who don't remember this lost gem, here's a brief summary: It's Resident Evil with Dinosaurs. Need More? Okay, Dino Crisis was a survival horror game released in 1999 about a science experiment gone horribly wrong, bringing about a time portal that transported Dinosaurs to the modern time. you played Regina, a member of a Spec Ops group send into a fictional island to curb the situation and rescue the man responsible for the mess. the game holds a special place in my heart as it was the first game classified as a "survival horror" that I ever played. Since then I have loved the genre. I moved onto franchises like Silent Hill and Resident Evil and the rest is history. so when the sequel came out a year later, I asked for it for Christmas that year. i was so excited to revisit the universe and see how the game has improved.
And, I hated it..........
Keep in mind, I was expecting a tense, moody, and slow paced survival horror title like the original. The sequel is nothing like that for the most part. so i remember shelving the game and never coming back. A couple years later (literally years) I saw the game mixed within my collection of PS1 titles that I rarely was playing by then, and not remembering why I hated this game, decided to try it out. Having finished the game, I regret ever hating this game in the first pace. Dino Crisis 2 is a fun action title. It evolves the gameplay in a completely new direction that works.
To better understand the change the game went through, the best way to describe it is comparing it to something like Ridley Scott's Alien to James Cameron's Aliens. Where the first one was a moody, tense horror show, the second one is a balls-out action title. Such is the case with Dino Crisis 2. You start the game with two characters: A returning Regina, and a new Spec ops member named Dylan. Dylan is a meat head, brimming with the kind of earnest machismo that comes off a doofy. Lets put it this way: if Dylan were real, he'd be Channing Tatum. Similar to the first title, Regina and Dylan are sent in to investigate another incident similar to the first game. Except the twist is that the incident didn't bring dinosaurs to our time, it transported an entire facility and the neighboring town back in time. This time they too are sent back in time to survey the area for info and rescue any survivors. the game begins with your team being attacked by a giant T-Rex, splitting Regina and Dylan from the main team and having to go off on the mission by themselves, together (trust me, it makes more sense than how I worded it).
From there we get into the new meat of the game. Where the first game took place in tight indoor corridors and was about exploring the area and solving puzzles, this game is an arcade run and gun shooter, like a third person version of the old Jurassic Park light-gun games from the arcade. You start off as Dylan, but periodically switch to Regina depending on where you are in the plot. Your path is split into several sections linking whatever your point A is to whatever your point B is (usually to unlock a door, find a key, etc). Your mission is to run straight through, gunning down every raptor (or is some cases, those ink-spitting dinosaurs from Jurassic Park) you come across in order to rack up Extinction Points that you use to buy medical equipment, weapon upgrades, ammo, etc. You gain points by killing dinosaurs in succession, racking up higher and higher combo multipliers. Along the way, you can unlock different weapons like flamethrowers, machine guns, sonic weapons, etc. And thats the thrust of the game. Along the way, you also get to man a turret gun to fight off vicious long-necks, you get to pilot a tank to fight a T-Rex, and you get to swim in a personal submarine suit to fight dinosaur crocs (sadly this is not as fun as the later, but it is technically different). Other than that, its running down open corridors blowing everything up in your path.
Now, this may seem boring on paper, but the game does alot in its way to make it more fun. First off, the controls do their best to make the experience easy. Yes, you still have the standard survival horror tank-style controls, but you also have a quick 180 degree turn button, as well as auto-targetting and a target cycle button. You even have the option to enable a side-step feature, but its mapped awkwardly to the triangle button instead of on the shoulder buttons (in which one of them is the map button, which would have fit better on the triangle button, but I digress). you also have a nifty secondary attack (which amounts to a machete for Dylan or a stun baton for Regina). both of these weapons not only add another level of attack and counter attack, but can also be used to unlock certain doors. What also adds to the ease is the level design, which thankfully is not too intricate as to make the controls feel worse. Most of the paths are straight lines, with the occasional mini corner for variety. It never felt like I was fighting with the controls. Yes, the camera is still static in the game, but honestly, where i could see my younger self getting frustrated at things constantly jumping out at me, I think it adds to the adrenaline. Another aspect that might have bothered me back then was the constantly random spawning enemies that would pop up ever time you transferred from one camera angle to another (a mechanic that does in fact loop if you have to traverse the same path multiple times) but in this case, its alright because not only do your guns have a generous amount of ammo before they need replenishing, but the more enemies you encounter, the more points you can add up. All of these choices would ruin a normal game, but combined here, it works to make the game that more exciting.
Graphically, the game also has some nice touches. Because most of the game is played outside of in open areas, most of the architecture is matte painted like the old Resident Evil games. And to be honest, its really good looking, having tons of jungle details that really distract from what is essentially a glorified hallway. Character models are nice too, but nothing mind-blowing. If there's one hitch I can mention, its that the in-game cut-scenes have an odd motion blur effect. Its not bad, but noticeable. Sound design is a mixture of Jungle ambiance and fast-paced orchestral music when you're in an enemy-filled area. My only downside to the gameplay is that it does suffer a bit from fatigue. there's very few puzzles, and not much variety in the enemies. Plus the game is short. Really you can beat it in a day if you are committed enough. But to be fair, this is the kind of game that you can just jump in and out, and once you beat it, jump in again. You even unlock new modes after you beat it, like a survival mode, and a dino-fighting mini-game reminiscent of Primal Rage.
So what do we have? We've got a sequel to a Resident Evil knock off (ironic since they both were made by Capcom) that plays like a love letter to arcade games of the era. At the end of the day, you're killing hoards of dinosaurs with only a shotgun and a machete. If that doesn't scream bad-ass, I don't know what is. If you're looking for a game with a deep story or branching gameplay, then this game is not for you. Then again I don't think you read that last sentence: "killing hoards of dinosaurs with only a shotgun and machete".
'Nuff Said
Grade: C
Posted by
Miguel Leon
- Sunday, July 28, 2013
Being what I consider to be in the mainstream of video games, I tend to, like everyone else, gravitate towards the most pronounced and name-branded games out on the market. Such franchises like Resident Evil and God of War have graced my consoles over the years. But once in a while I do find a game out there that many people have seemingly never heard about. and when that happens, I feel it my duty to share said gems to the world at large. such is that case with today's game, a game so obscure that not even fans of its source material know it exists. I'm talking about the Dreamcast Gem: Sword of the Berserk: Guts Rage.
Sword of the Berserk is a video game based off of the popular Berserk manga series by Kentaro Miura, and stars a mysterious swordsman named Guts, who is accompanied by his love interest, Casca, and a tiny winged elf named Puck. If you're looking for any sort of backstory on any of these characters, You're gonna be sadly let down. See, this is one of the few problems I have with this game: The game's continuity takes place between issues of the manga, the very, very lengthy manga. In fact, the game takes place late in the manga's series. This means there's alot of backstory with these characters, as well as plot points in the game that tie into the previous manga issues, that sadly the game doesn't delve into at all. The three main characters just pop up into the main story and are given no real background say for a few throwaway lines by Puck. There are creatures such as a giant demonic gargoyle and a demon knight that pop up in the game that I think are supposed to mean something, but without any context, their appearances just leave you scratching you head as to what they matter to the overall game story. Even the main FMV that starts the game up just describes Guts sword, the Dragonslayer. We know nothing about Dragonslayer, or the tattoo on Guts's neck that seems to react around danger or something, or why Casca, one of the main characters, seems to be suffering from a condition that makes her mute and child-like in mentality., or where in God's name did this wise-cracking elf thing come from. The only saving grace is that the main story of the game itself is pretty procedural. It's its own thing independent from the main series, save for these tiny book-ends that link the two issues. There's a glossary you unlock after beating the game that tells you all the details behind everything in the game, but by then why even bother. at that point its just homework.
Now, onto the main story, which has Guts entering a small castle town ravaged by a mysterious plant called the Mandragora, which has the effect of turning people infected by it into mindless zombies. Guts is asked by the town ruler, Balzac (stop giggling) to help procure the heart of one of these creatures in order to make a cure, and in exchange he will cure Casca of her mental condition. Guts agree and starts on a journey to a neighboring village to find a Mandragoran heart and cure is love. along the way you meet up with other characters including the leader of a resistance against Balzac, where Guts learns that not everything Balzac said was the whole truth. The story even throws in the question of the nature of good and evil with the Mandragorans, and what their true nature is, that elevates it past just your standard action filler. The story is somewhat predictable, but is told well enough that it doesn't feel trite.
Speaking of story telling, there's the production, which is what really to me stands out the most in this game. The publishers of this game was Eidos via their Crystal Dynamics label, and it shows. Its obvious that the team behind the Legacy of Kain series had a hand in production because the game has that exact same level of movie-quality production that their other series has. The voice acting is top notch, and really one of the standouts of the game. Even Legacy of Kain alumnus Micheal Bell (Raziel) lends his voice as Guts. Cutscenes are shot like they were right out of a movie studio. Remember folks, this is 1999, and very few games at this point were reaching those levels of production, save for Metal Gear Solid. So seeing production this clean and high in a game is something to remark on. As are the graphics of the game, which really show what the Dreamcast could offer. In my previous Dreamcast review (Dead or Alive 2) I mentioned that that game and Soul Calibur really set the bar high for what the Dreamcast could do. This game really in terms of scope goes just as close. Areas are fully realized as opposed to the locked off levels of those fighting games, characters are solid-rendered (no cut pieces) and alot of the details are rendered out as opposed to painted on textures (although even those are top notch). the biggest stand-out in my mind are the faces, which were fully rendered and animated. Remember folks, 1999, so most games out on the market would cut corners in that regard and paint faces onto flat surfaces. To see fully rendered and animated faces on the main characters really lends alot to their performances. Sound design is done by Susumu Hirasawa, the composer from the Berserk anime, so if you are a fan of the anime, the score is lifted right from it.
As for the gameplay, I would hesitate to say that the gameplay was really ahead of its time. As stated, this came out in 1999. The PS2 was not out yet, and so we had yet to play games like Onimusha and Devil May Cry, which in my opinion set the standard for hack and slashers of that era. So to play a game that is essentially a precursor to those really is remarkable considering how little people apparently played this game. Essentially you go around hacking and slashing up enemies left and right. You have several tools at your disposal, including a rapid fire crossbow, bombs, and ninja throwing arrows. Control-wise you have the ability to hack with a quick vertical strike, or a much slower yet more effective horizontal slash. You also have a dodge and block feature, as well as a melee attack without your sword. But the main feature, and the namesake of the game itself, is Guts' Rage, where after filling up a bloodlust meter (its not really called that, but its what I like to call it) you enter an invincibility-mode that not only turns the screen blood red but also powers up your strikes to the point of being able to completely dismember your enemies with a single strike (which is not that over the top considering your normal strikes cause geysers of blood to flow from enemies) Gameplay-wise the game really stands up, albeit except for two gameplay quirks that might rear their ugly heads all too much. First, alot of the game's combat takes place in tight indoor corridors and alleyways. The problem with this is that game developer Yukes (yes the same company behind the WWE games) programmed a stun lock when you strike hard surfaces with your sword, i.e. walls. this means in battle its really easy to hit the walls and get stun locked while your enemies wale on you, especially considering how big your sword is. This means you are better off using your melee attack, which is powerfully weak and bad against groups of enemies. You have no idea how many times I have died trying to fend off a group of soldiers in a hallway because I wasn't able to use my crowd clearing horizontal slash out of fear of stun lock. Another issue is the lack of a lock-on or targeting feature. Maybe this is just a new school mindset, but I find in the heat of battle completely losing my positioning after dodging around and getting attacked from behind. this is especially the case in boss battles. Its not as game-breaking as the stun lock, but its worth mentioning.
So at the end of the day, is the game worth your time? Honestly, I would give it a shot. There arent many non-arcade Dreamcast titles that really stand out among the pack, and this one really brings alot to the table. Amazing production values boost a game whose gameplay is a bit rough, but satisfying. Who knows, maybe you'll enjoy the game enough to go out and read the manga or watch the anime. It's a win-win all around.
Grade: B
