Loaded Cartridge

LC Has Moved..Kind Of!

2011-03-26T10:43:00.000-07:00

Loaded Cartridge, as I promised, is continuing...in a different form. Don't worry, you will still get your game coverage, but it will have to compete with other related things; talks about boardgames, chiptunes, Magic cards, and everything else under the sun that I am remotely interested in, but that is somehow appealing to folks like yourselves.

The Manchild Monologues is the name of the new site, the name coming from the fact that I am a twenty-five year old man with the mentality and interests of a twelve year old boy. It's a little more casual than Loaded Cartridge, the reason for this being that I am already attempting more serious journalism/reviews over at Sega-16 now, and wanted a sanctuary where I could go and talk about..well, whatever.

http://themanchildmonologues.blogspot.com/

Please redirect yourselves here, and follow if you wish as well. I will keep this blog open, it isn't going anywhere, but I don't want to run multiple blogs. So for now, I won't be posting anything new at this site. As I said before, the new one will continue to cover similar subjects.

Thank you for your interest, and I hope you enjoy the new blog.

Sega-16

2011-02-11T08:11:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update: I am now a staff editor at Sega-16, which means that I will be writing a minimum of two articles a month for the site, which includes a review and a feature. My first review should be going up in the next couple of weeks, as it has already been completed and submitted.

I will keep updating here until I really figure out what my plans for this blog are, but at least I am making progress in other arenas for now.

http://www.sega-16.com/

It's a great site if you are a Sega fan. Hundreds of reviews, features, and other goodies. Check it out!

Retooling

2011-02-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

I am still going through my options in regard to the blog, the direction is going to take. Once this is completed, any posts like this will be deleted to keep some sense of continuity. I do not want to get rid of old content; established site content is important, and I have wasted too many hours on other blogs, where I ended up simply deleting everything I had done out of dissatisfaction.

Apart from being the busiest time for me EVER IN MY LIFE, I haven't had a lot of time to write. However, I received some very cool news this morning; it looks like I may have been accepted as a staff writer over at Sega-16! I put in my request what seems like ages ago, in fact I think it was about six months if I remember correctly, though it could have been less. But from the email I received this morning, it looks to be a sure thing at this point. Since one of the focuses of this blog is retro gaming (though Genesis in my opinion is hardly "retro" yet) it will be fun to write articles about my favorite console. The site has been around for a long time, so I think the review well has probably almost dried up, but there is always something to review, and other features that have not yet been tackled. At any rate, I already have tons of ideas, so once I receive further confirmation, I will simply go from there.

I am thinking of a feature to really push Loaded Cartridge back in with a bang. I am also still considering cooking something up with video. There are a few different mediums I can pursue besides written word, but I am still a fan of writing, so I will still be doing that in some form or another. I have barely any readership, but I'm thinking well produced videos could lead to an increased fanbase on that end as well.

Anyways, I just wanted to update quickly. More to come.

I Liked Playing As Raiden.

2011-01-06T14:28:00.000-08:00

There, I said it.

Recently, I had gone through all of the games in the Metal Gear Solid series. By this I mean MGS 1 through 4, all in order, after never having played MGS 2 or 3 before hand.

There is no reason to do a review on these games. What hasn't been said already? What really matters, is which one did I enjoy the most?

For my money, in terms of actual game play, I found Metal Gear Solid 2 to be my favorite. Probably a fairly unpopular opinion, especially since the release of MGS 3 and 4. MGS 2 seemed like a refinement on the original formula, and while it added some great new features such as a first person aiming system, it kept most everything else intact. Everything else, that is, apart from Snake.

For the first time in Metal Gear history, you do not play as the legendary Solid Snake. This was a huge point of contention among gamers, many of whom absolutely reviled the effeminate looking, yet more notable violent Raiden. Snake was always a cool customer, taking the time to sit through long winded fits of exposition coming from enemies who were just about to pump him full of lead. Raiden on the other hand had only ever been exposed in his later years to VR training, leading to a huge emotional disconnect from the battlefield, which would eventually lead him down the path to becoming something much less than human, an aspect of his character we saw in MGS4 which will be even more prominent in the upcoming Metal Gear Rising.

But still, gamers were pissed, and they wanted Snake back. It was such a controversy that Hideo Kojima played heavily upon it in MGS3, making many jabs at Raiden's homosexuality with the character of Raikov; a sexual orientation which was no doubt assumed by a legion of underage, snarky fans of the badass Snake they had all come to know and love.

Even through the convoluted storyline, and the constant back and forth between Raiden and Rose, I found the idea behind the game quite compelling. It was very interesting to see Snake from a 3rd person perspective, and to see his relative camaraderie with another soldier like himself, especially one who was literally compelled to follow in his footsteps. I'm extremely glad they didn't go down the path of "Snake vs. another evil brother" with Solidus as the main antagonist of the game, though the connection between Solidus and Raiden seemed inherently, a bit contrived. It was still a compelling enough rivalry to work, and what I have always liked about Kojima's work is how nicely it blends fantasy and reality, whether the game is breaking the fourth wall, or simply not offering up an explanation of WHY Volgin has ten million volts surging through his body, while still offering up some frightening insight into our modern society, reflected through the ongoing, fantasy war with the Patriots.

Raiden allowed a lot of outsider exposition which began to slowly reveal the unraveling mystery behind the Patriots, the A.I. that would eventually control the world, propelling society purely by manipulating the ever-expanding war economy. When the game came out, even after the final conclusion, I think very few people knew what the hell was going on. And they weren't supposed to! Raiden seemed to me, to be a direct reflection of the player himself. An outsider, playing the role of Raiden made the game feel much different than the confidence allowed while playing as the more experienced Snake. Now that the series has reached a final conclusion, apart from any upcoming spin offs, we can piece it all together. Though Kojima games are notorious for employing retroactive continuity, they work well enough that most questions you have can at the very least be justified without becoming too convoluted. The roundabout way the entire thing is told is definitely disorienting; but when you get down to the core of it, it isn't nearly as confusing as it was when we were smack dab in the middle of the series, and had no where to connect all of those loose wires.

To the credit of that kind of storytelling, and why it worked so well at the time, is the not knowing. It's being continually pushed forward to find more answers, while playing a fantastically designed game in between. Whether you are playing as Snake, or Raiden, or even if they had thrown you into Meryl's boots for a time, the ends justified the means, ultimately. And I think years later, it's safe to say that Raiden as the lead was not a bad choice on the part of the developer. The same kind of helplessness and confusion I felt while playing as Raiden was eventually mirrored with Snake's decaying condition in Metal Gear Solid 4, and probably more effectively. But I am glad there was a bridge game in between the first and the fourth that let us look not through the eyes of an established, hardened hero, but through the eyes of someone with less experience, even if his cool white hair-do was a tad to akin to a J-rock star past his prime.

Final Fantasy XIII - The First Two Hours

2011-01-05T07:22:00.001-08:00

The thirteenth installment of the Final Fantasy franchise has been around some time now. It was met with high review scores nearly all across the board, at least from less discerning critics. But among fans it was universally scorned, generally for menial reasons that didn't speak about the gameplay itself. There were a few points everyone agreed on, however; far too much time spent on exposition, and far too menial gameplay. Many people complained about the setting of the game, about how it seemed to be stylistically cliched. And now that the fanfare is over, and Square Enix is at it's lowest point in history since the god awful flop that was Final Fantasy XIV, I thought it might be nice to go back and look at one of the most controversial games of this generation, and give my honest take on it as I go through the game.

Now, I have always been a Final Fantasy fan. But I have never been a hardcore Final Fantasy fan. I have spent a lot of time in FF6, and FF7 immersed me enough to make my eyes bloodshot for days. I have even had brief affairs with Final Fantasy 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, but most of these were fleeting, at best. I think overall, for a series that has continued as long as it has, Final Fantasy has been a pretty solid series. The high point in the series at least in terms of popularity stateside, will probably always be 7. Regardless of what the more snobby fans of today think, that was a classic that will never be forgotten, especially by folks like me who sat there and did nothing else for a grueling, two day period. My personal favorite aesthetically will always be FF6, for it's imaginative steampunk world, the fearsome and insane villain Kefka, and a cast of characters who completely outshine anyone else in the series up to this point.

So being a fan of the series, is it impossible for me to do an objective, unbiased review of this game? Well, keep in mind, Final Fantasy is not even close to being one of my favorite RPG games. That title is reserved for games like Earthbound, Chrono Trigger, Dragon Quest, and Shin Megami Tensei. Dragon Quest has been around even longer than Final Fantasy, and though it has fewer titles in it's franchise (barring spin-offs, etc.) it is much more consistent in what it was trying to achieve. I think if you sit them side by side, Dragon Quest would come out on top, simply because EVERY entry in the series to date is completely rock solid, at least if you are into that sort of thing. Final Fantasy gets extra marks for being a much more creative series in general, and for not being too afraid to think outside the box, especially in the last couple of generations. But where does creativity end, and stale monotony begin?

I am not going to get into the details of the game itself too much. Anyone who is anyone knows at least the basics of Final Fantasy XIII by now. I am going to do away with a review, and give you nothing but my own impressions.

First of all, the presentation is the best I have seen in an RPG to date. Everything from the graphics, the voice acting, the sound, music, and the layout of menu screens is pure quality. For my money, it does not get any better than this, and I never begrudge a short trip to the menu to equip new items, or check my characters status. The game is completely wonderful in this regard. The in game graphics blend seamlessly into cinematics, and even though I have sat for a couple of hours in front of this game, I am wowed by every new piece of scenery, every new monster or effect that is thrown my way. In the first two hours, at least, this blending of movie quality CG and gameplay may be a bit jarring for some; and if you had a tough time sitting through the many cinematics of Metal Gear Solid 4, you will hate things even more this time around. However, to it's credits, the many cutscenes are peppered quite evenly in between short bursts of gameplay, and so far there have not been any half hour time sinkers that make so many other people roll their eyes in disbelief.

Here's the thing; Final Fantasy is about telling a story. This is the way the series has evolved up to this point, and I think this entry has done the best job overall so far. Where older games in the series had the pace of a novel or a short story, 13 is definitely going for a movie feel this time around, and it shows. Many plot elements are left to the wayside for us to discover at a later time, and we are given just enough to keep us moving from scene to scene. The game has made me want to keep playing it, just to get another tidbit, another burst of information and character development. And so far, I've enjoyed what it has thrown at me. At this point in the game, I have just brought the main cast together, and though some characters are more interesting and less annoying than others (ahem, Vanille.) I like the contrast in personalities this time around, and having a more antagonistic lead like Lightning, who is still able to show a softer more human side, is a nice tension builder which does not leave me feeling overly nostalgic for the days of the more angsty quiet types like Cloud, and Squall. Sure, Lightning is a bitch, but she feels more characteristically real so far for reasons I haven't quite figured out yet. Maybe it's because she has a very personal reason to be doing what she is doing, in saving her sister and all. I guess I'll find out more about that as I go.

Now as for the gameplay, is it linear? Do you walk in a straight line? Yes. No question. The combat is the main focus of gameplay here, and at first it seems random and rather chaotic. Simply put, you do not have total control over your party anymore, and for micromanagement freaks, this will be an absolute nightmare. FF13 is the next step in action oriented gameplay for the series, taking a few cues from 12, while making some puzzling steps backwards at the same time. It's as if they tried to fuse a real time MMORPG with a turn based battle system, and early in the game, this was quite disorienting for me. But once I had a handle on the flow, it became much easier to deal with, and I felt myself enjoying it. It was a very hurt and heal situation early on, with very few commands available for your main character, and you spending most of your time simply hitting the X button. I did have to employ some tactics in a couple of fights in order to survive, but until the game opened up and introduced the Paradigm Shift system, it was pretty limited. Paradigm Shift seems like it will open up many possibilities in battle, and I was also immensely happy to see the return of a "sphere grid" like system of leveling.

However, I wish that this had all happened much earlier. I could very easily see someone becoming immediately disenchanted, and never booting up the game again due to the strict limitations in the beginning of it. Overall, I am enjoying the gameplay, I feel like I am connecting to the characters much more quickly than in previous entries to the series, and although the storyline is convoluted, messy, and the setting itself while insanely detailed and creative, is not doing much to capture my imagination just yet, I am having a good time. I like the battle system, and due to the more cinematic gameplay they have introduced, I think it is to their credit that they implemented a more linear style of exploration. But was it really necessary? The previous games in the series got the story across just fine without pushing me in a straight path the whole time. And even in games like FFX where this was the case, there was at least more of an illusion of an open world, where as this very specifically feels like I am stuck on a railroad track.

It's a fantastic casual RPG for the casual gamer. Hardcore RPG nuts need not apply certainly, especially if you have a hard time stomaching a melodramatic, anime storyline. These are just my initial impressions, and I will post again after I have gotten through a more sizable chunk of the game.

A New Year, A New Blog.

2011-01-04T12:09:00.001-08:00

Well not really a new blog. But I am definitely going to be putting some effort into this one.

Loaded Cartridge started last year with all of the best intentions. After a few half decent reviews, and a couple of fun interviews, I lost a lot of steam. I was trying very hard to spread out in multiple directions, with different blogs and projects. But through all of it, Loaded Cartridge managed to survive; even if it has been in limbo for months and months.

So what the hell? What's been happening? I think personally for me, I became a little disenchanted with the idea of writing a gaming blog. There is an entire industry now dedicated to this sort of thing, so where could I ever possibly fit into the scheme of things? Well, maybe I can't. Either way, I want to give it a second round, a real good, hard try this time. And maybe if I'm lucky, I can make something of it.

I don't want to get too boring, too quickly here. But I wanted to say officially, that I am already in the works of producing new content. Some of it will be available very, very soon. I feel like I can do a better job now since I actually own two out of the three current gen consoles, and have been racking up a decent collection of games for them. Written blogs are kind of becoming a thing of the past for some people, with the vlogging community on Youtube reaching peak numbers. Loaded Cartridge will not be any different. I fully intend to implement a video element somehow, once I figure out the best way to go about doing it. So that's another thing you can look forward too.

Anyways, I'm still alive, and LC, though on life support, is en route for a full rehabilitation sometime in the near future. Stay tuned.

With Apologies to Classic Game Room: An Interview With Mark Bussler

2010-09-08T12:03:00.000-07:00

I feel very badly about this.

Back when I started this blog, I had intended to provide readers with indepth interviews, and gaming articles. Lately, I have been out of the gaming scene entirely, but more recently, have been diving back in. My life is a very busy one this last year, and with news of a pregnant wife and other things around the corner, I have not had much time to maintain my writing. Since one of my eventual goals is to write professionally, I have never abandoned any of my projects, and I do not wish to do the same with Loaded Cartridge. But it is certainly a more personal thing of mine, and without a lot of time in my hands, will likely not evolve into something big until much much later, when I have the time, energy, and resources to do so.

My favorite gaming show, hands down, is Classic Game Room. Narrated by the subdued yet hilarious Mark Bussler, Classic Game Room has been around since before game shows WERE around; we are talking the Real Player days here. A few months ago, I had contacted CGR with the hopes of obtaining an interview. After a back and forth, I was able to get one with the man himself.

The problem is, this was about the time I was beginning to lose steam, which was early on. I was (and still am) writing a book at the time, as well as other websites and things I was helping with. There was a bunch of stuff going on. And I did not want to release an interview with Mark which was not accompanied by a good treatment of CGR itself as well.

Mark took the time to do an interview with me, so rather than letting it sit in info, I wanted to share it with you here. This is something I will be circulating to different websites I am a part of moreso, to give CGR the exposure it deserves. With hundreds of videos and millions of hits, they don't exactly need it perhaps, but I wanted to pay homage to what I consider the most thorough and informative game review show around, then, and now.

So please enjoy this interview with Classic Game Room's Mark Bussler.

LC: Classic Game Room has been around a long time, including the extended hiatus between the old show and the new one. Being created in a time where streaming a video was an impossibility for most people, I think it is safe to say that CGR was ahead of its time, and one of the early pioneers of the modern internet review show. Did anyone involved with CGR realize at the time just how popular the genre would become, or that these streaming “webisodes” would become a norm for independent film-makers branching out to catch the public eye?

MB: Joel, thank you for asking. When we started Classic Game Room in November of 1999 it was a launch title for our Internet TV station at the time. We were based out of a software company that was pioneering early webcasting broadcast technology and believed it to be the future. Unfortunately our timing couldn’t have been worse. On one hand we had a jump on the industry of the future, on the other hand the dot-com bust of early 2000 ruined our hopes of getting venture capital funding and we couldn’t grow with non-existent ad revenue. To make a long story short we made a lateral move into the booming DVD industry which is what I focused on for the next eight years. Classic Game Room was cancelled in 2000 along with any plans to continue Internet broadcasting at that time. In retrospect it was a mistake to cancel Classic Game Room completely but at the time there wasn’t much that could be done to prevent it.

LC: The pacing and structure of Classic Game Room, compared to the original Game Room which was home to two hosts has changed a lot, causing it to reflect many other game review shows available today, while still maintaining the high production values and quality that CGR is well known for. Was it a conscious decision to proceed with a single host after the departure of David Crosson and the rebirth of the show in 2008, or was it simply organic? Did CGR ever consider bringing in a second host to fill the gap when the show was revitalized?

MB: Originally we called it The Game Room and it was two of us, which was great. We both had a good time and really enjoyed bantering back and forth about games. We’re both into movies and games and had a blast creating these mini-movies to compliment the “journalism”. When I released the new Classic Game Room HD series in 2008 I had no plans to try and recreate the style of the original series because it wasn’t possible. Only the two of us at that time in our lives could have boiled Seaman alive and starred as The Lush and Pottymouth!! For the new series I had to come up with something new and was not sure if I could do it alone. I approached it like an experiment and just kind of ran with it, talking about games and what I enjoyed. Eventually it took shape and turned into the show as we know it today.

LC: There have been a great deal of changes since the original Game Room as far as production goes, and it is now commonplace for the average Joe to pick up a camera and upload a series of videos without any formal training, budget, or standards set in place to dictate what the content will be. That being said, from the old to the new, how have the challenges as filmmakers changed, and what sorts of problems do you face now which you didn’t during the original show?

MB: You can film movies on a cell phone now and upload to YouTube from the bus. I think the biggest challenge for any aspiring filmmaker is how to make a living with it and advance your career, I’m not sure that has become easier. You can easily share your video work with the world but that also means that there’s an oversaturation of content out there. The barrier to entry into the movie and television industry is higher than ever so perhaps the online video career has more opportunities. Given that I took the online route the challenge for CGR now is to continue growing with entertaining journalism, the challenge in 1999 was getting anyone to watch anything online at all. How much video could you see with that awesome 2400 baud modem?

LC: I myself have always been a fan of retro games over newer, more cinematically driven titles. With the current rise of mediums such as Wii Ware, XBLA, and the Playstation Network, game developers are now able to create simpler, cheaper titles that harken back to the days of old, while utilizing modern technology to drastically increase the quality of the artwork, sound production, and general presentation. As fans of retro games, how does CGR feel about these advancements and the progression of the video game industry in general?

MB: I think that the “retro-remakes” can be really good or really boring. Sometimes the developers remake an old classic with some great style and new features, other times they seem to knock out a cheap remake that doesn’t even live up to the original. In any event, nothing will ever capture the experience of playing a game in your youth. Not every game needs to be remade in my opinion, I like that the big game consoles are offering traditional arcade-authentic classics like Xevious, Ms. Pac Man and the old school Genesis and SNES games on Wii. The industry in general is growing and I’m glad to see that there’s still a market for the classics and that they aren’t being forgotten. If people will still pay for Xevious there will always be more Xevious!

LC: As far as the show itself goes, from what I have read most of what happened on screen such as the banter between you and David, was completely unscripted. Even with the absence of David in Classic Game Room, the appeal managed to remain intact due to your witty, dry, natural and often sarcastic brand of humor. That being said, is the show scripted in anyway today? Or did you simply pick up where you left off, continuing on with that improvisational style CGR was known for?

MB: Classic Game Room was not and never will be scripted. Back in the day we’d just argue and BS about games, these days I’ll come into the recording with some ideas and just ramble incoherently until it makes sense. I’d called it planned improvisation, but it certainly isn’t scripted. I approach each review as a clean slate and talk about what strikes me as fun or unique about a game or piece of hardware. I think that it’s important to mention who the game would appeal to, whether or not it’s entertaining and then have some fun with it. I think that’s part of what sets the show apart. Talking about monsters drinking beer and shooting laser beams is far more fun to listen to then 10 minutes of technical specifications.

LC: Putting together reviews like this is obviously not an easy task, and CGR releases finished videos on a very consistent basis. On average, how long does a video take to produce from front to back before being uploaded on the CGR channel?

MB: It varies depending on the game. Some games, like Atari 2600 classics that I’m familiar with, can be produced in an hour or two. Other games like modern RPG adventures and shooters with multiplayer can take much, much longer. It also depends on how I decide to review a game. Sometimes I’ll create elaborate stories while reviewing the game like I did in The Sims 3. That review took a long time to make because I made it twice! After my first game (character) I created Dr. 8-Ball because I didn’t think that just reviewing the game seriously was entertaining enough. So I intentionally train wrecked it, which showed The Sims 3 better and how a player can have fun with it. The Metal Gear Solid 4 review took a long time because the game is so damn big and I was chopping up something like 10 hours of footage to show off the game while keeping it silly.

LC: After checking your blog, I noticed it has not been updated in quite some time. Apart from CGR, you seem to have had a lot of experience and credit as a documentary filmmaker, one of your more prominent projects being “Johnstown Flood”, produced in 2003. Besides new episodes of CGR, are there any other projects in the future which fans should be keeping an eye out for?

MB: I’ve found that as the show has gotten larger and we’ve been expanding my time has vanished and I’ve dropped a lot of things during the work day that I used to do, blogging was one of the first things to go. To answer the other part of your question, between 2001 and 2008 I produced about 8 films, all on relatively tight budgets which means that I had to learn every part of production from start to finish. That experience helps the show a lot. I prefer to produce shorter, constantly changing daily reviews than feature length productions. I get bored working on a film for a year and have no plans to get back into that. The forecast predicts Classic Game Room awesome-showers for the future.

LC: I can only imagine the kind of game collection accrued by CGR over the years, considering the vast quantity of consoles and peripherals that we have seen on CGR. Are there any vital systems or games which CGR has not seen come through its doors yet? How often do fans offer up their own personal stock for the sake of the show?

MB: Wow, I never imagined that viewers would send me one game let alone hundreds. The fans have been so generous and donated a huge collection of games. It’s going to take me years to review them all! Most of my personal collection that I’ve built through the years is comprised of Atari 2600, 7800 and Sega Genesis cartridges because those systems made me the man I am today. I collect to play, not to collect though. I think I gave collectors a heart attack when I opened my boxed copy of Actionauts on camera. I still need a working Intellivision and Bally Astrocade.

LC: Although David Crosson has been absent since the original Game Room was unfortunately canceled back in 2000, I notice he is still submitting written game reviews on your website. Many fans of the original Game Room would surely welcome the return of the long lost co-host, but how does CGR view the current direction that is being taken? Are there any long term goals or surprises in store for CGR in terms of format change, or can we look forward to the same basic framework for the show as more episodes are produced?

MB: Yeah, Dave is writing for the website now and his writing is awesome. We’ve been in touch and he’s happy to see CGR growing. Hopefully we’ll be able to shoot some more stuff together in the future. Distance and schedules make it a lot more complicated than it used to be. We recently started another channel on YouTube called “CGR Undertow” where reviewers other than me will be reviewing games both new and old. I’m producing the new shows but leaving the reviews up to them and letting reviewers build their own fan base from the ground up, that’s how one learns. We recently moved into our new underwater lair and have a place to film again.

LC: My final and most important question for this interview. Since the original Game Room was mostly concerned with playing video games and drinking beer, how much alcohol consumption is proportional to the amount of videos being produced, and what is the brand of choice which CGR relies on to get through those long arduous days of shooting and editing? (Especially now, since summer is on the way?)

MB: Ha ha, good question. I’m a self proclaimed beer snob and enjoy my brews when I can but wouldn’t get anything done if I walked half of what I talk. Occasionally I’ll enjoy a few beers if I’m recording a narration on a Friday and intentionally want to loosen it up, and I proudly proclaim it when I do! But technical work and drinking certainly don’t mix. While CGR has a very homebrew feel about it the production process is actually very complex. My beer brand of choice is like my video game of choice, it depends what mood I’m in! Right now I could go for a pint of Ms. Pac Man and a game of IPA.

LC: Thank you very much for participating in this interview. Classic Game Room truly shines above the rest of the crowd in the quality and consistency of its content, and all of the fans out there including myself can’t wait to see what is in store for CGR in the future.

MB: Thank you for taking the time to ask me some questions Joel. Cheers! -Mark Bussler

A HUGE, collosal thanks to Mark from CGR for supplying me this interview. I apologize for the lateness (it's been months!) but I truly appreciate the co-operation and friendliness involved in dealing with the folks at CGR.

Also, if you have not heard of CGR, check out the InecomCompany channel on YouTube! There, you will find hundreds of game, console, and accesory review videos, plus many many more, dealing with a MASSIVE range of games both from the past and present.

CLASSIC GAME ROOM ON YOUTUBE

The Curse of the MMO

2010-08-27T13:28:00.000-07:00

I have tried numerous times to get into MMORPG games, everything from Ultima to WoW, and it never works out for me.

Just recently, I canceled my WoW account. I invested a good twenty hours or so into it, which is not much for most but quite a bit for me...this is the fourth time or so, and once again, I was unsatisfied.

I KNOW it gets better at higher levels. I KNOW I should have stuck with it...but the truth is, why? From the very first minutes of the game, it all just felt like a bland chore to me. I really didn't have any fun at all, and it is frustrating to me how often this happens with newer games, while at the same time, I beat DOOM the other night for what must be the fiftieth damn time.

What is it about old games? Why is this blog called "Loaded Cartridge" and not "Loaded Blu-Ray Disc with Bonus Downloadable Content and Achievements"? I may never know the answer to that question. Just about everything past the original Playstation just seems to bore me these days. I have even stopped playing Starcraft 2 daily. Granted, I haven't played much video games at all, being involved in several more important projects at the time, as well as changes in my personal life (good ones.) but when I do, they were usually made before the year 2000. Even the whole revival thing hasn't really piqued my interest; the one title I want to get my hands on, Soctt Pilgrim Vs. The World, is not available on the Wii or PC, and I don't own a PS3 or XBOX. I just tend to have more fun with older titles, which is probably why I've been enjoying my Neo Geo so much lately.

MMO's have all the dungon crawling and number crunching I love, but there is something about classic computer RPG's like Dragon Quest that works on such a higher level for me compared. I think it is the feeling of loneliness, of relative isolation. The story is given to you in pieces. With WOW, even in heavy roleplaying servers, you have to deal with all of the inadequacies and stupidities of other people. Getting into groups and going on a raid may be rewarding for some, but it yields no love from me. The older I get, the more varied my friends are, the less I am inclined to engage in multiplayer of any kind.

Attack Of The Clone

2010-08-10T07:49:00.000-07:00

Alright, so here is the scoop.

Go to work, go to sleep. Go to work, play Starcraft 2. Play more Starcraft 2. Play World of Warcraft, and shut it off out of boredom to play Starcraft 2. Decide to leave the house, see friends, have a real life, get scared at the doorway and go back inside to play Starcraft 2.

Starcraft 2.

Now that you are up to date, there is no reason to explain why I have not updated in some time. My life has been consumed with Starcraft, and I am not ready to do a review yet. There are so many components to the game truly, that it is really hard to get into them all at once. Many are complaining about a Terran campaign only, but let me tell you, length MORE than makes up for it. Plus there is achievements now, and challenge missions. Plus the skirmish mode. Plus the multiplayer...oh, the multiplayer. And they have detailed replay systems now too. And...

Well, there is a lot, and it is all awesome. If I DO get to a review it will be quite high regardless. I am having an enormous amount of fun with this game.

In the meantime, I got a Retron3, a clone system which plays SNES, Genesis, and NES games. Despite hearing of problems with other peoples systems, mine works surprisingly well. Read below for the short review.

Alright, I got a Retron3 out of sheer curiosity. Mostly, I really wanted to know if the SNES controllers were mapped correctly. I was planning on getting it anyway, so here is the scoop.

So far, every game I have tried works except for my Shin Megami Tensei repro on SNES. I have not tried a great deal of them, but they all function as they should, even imports like Wani Wani World on MD. Some that I had trouble with on other clone hardware work fine here, but the obvious ones like Virtua Racer, I didn't bother trying; we already know about them anyways.

Sonic 3 And Knuckles works, which was a HUGE relief for me. Contra Hard Corps did not work at first, and I assumed it had something to do with being a Majesco cart (which I am not sure if it is or not.) Cleaned the contacts up, and it works beautifully.

I am not all that impressed with the video. Composite and S-Video on the Genesis look pretty damn good. The NES only HAS composite, and it looks just fine. Now, the SNES on my own model has quite a bit of shitty interference in the picture quality, diagonal lines that kind of move across the screen. Very noticeable on black screens. This happens either with S-Video or Composite. BUT, contrary to what Stone Age Gamer has claimed, the SNES controllers ARE INDEED mapped correctly. As for those stupid wireless things, I didn't even try them; don't want to, don't care, not dealing with Infrared bullshit.

On the NES, there are some very minor graphical issues, including a bit of a color blend in some games. TROG was one of the games I tested, and it specifically had this issue. It also had a wierd couple of colored boot screens before finally going into the game. The gameplay was not affected whatsoever, and the problem was so miniscule most people would not notice it.

Sound quality on the SNES is just fine. I don't notice any real difference personally. Sound quality on the NES is fairly decent, though the volume is quite low by default. You will want to turn it up even if the Genny and SNES parts seem loud enough. Now, sound on the Genesis is where I have my only real complaint, but from someone who has been dealing with ATGames bullshit, this is a dream in comparison. It is not bad sound, certainly, but emphasis is placed in an unusually way, with bass notes and things like that coming out much stronger. The pitch is fine, which is good news for people who hate ATgames; your games will sound as you remember them, but you will hear brand new notes and things that were not apparent before.

NOTE: Japanese Megadrive controllers, at least the ones I tested, WILL NOT WORK with the system. My US controllers work fine, but my 2 MD controllers are not even recognized. It could just be a specific model or something, but it is worth mentioning. The problem with many Retron reviews is that they fail to get into controller configuration. This is probably well meaning, as they are not having any problems, but hearing Stone Age talk about incorrect SNES mapping really made me scratch my head. So for anyone who was wondering:

UNLESS YOUR MODEL OF THE RETRON3 IS DEFECTIVE, SNES CONTROLLER PORTS ARE CONFIGURED AND MAPPED CORRECTLY.

Overall, I am actually EXTREMELY pleased with the quality of this system, especially considering what we have had in the past. Even the guys in the store were impressed that this baby had 6 controller ports. I'm sure there is even better clone hardware out there which could have been used, but the ability to use my own controllers for 3 systems is so far unprecedented. Any games worth a damn to me (including my Alien Soldier Repro) work damn good. The SNES loses MAJOR points for video interference, but that is likely due to my model specifically having a problem, as I have heard no other complaints. It is something I can live with, as up until a couple of months ago I was playing SNES with RF, (and I only have a few games anyways) but it is definitely worth taking note.

My situation is somewhat unique as I am a bit of a hardware purist who was actually looking to replace his consoles for the time being, as we are packing up our place this month. It's hard for me to rely on a clone, and I was very uneasy about the purchase, almost opting to pack my games up as well instead of relying on inferior hardware. But I can safely say that, for my needs at least, there is not nearly enough WRONG with this hardware to completely condemn it, especially considering the price, and what it is capable of. If you are in the market for a clone, this may be the way to go from an OVERALL standpoint, as your options are so wide in terms of compatibility, controller use, etc.

I am very happy with this purchase, and it will do me well over these next few months before we move and I can set up a proper entertainment center with all of my old systems.

Starcraft 2

2010-07-23T08:50:00.000-07:00

It's almost here, it's almost here!

I know I haven't posted much recently, as I have had several other projects on the go which take time away from this blog. But to be honest, apart from time spent with DQ, I haven't had much to say. Life is severely eating away at my video game time, and on my weekends off, I usually play board games with friends instead. Tonight, we are diving into a Descent campaign, for instance. If I am not playing games, I don't have much to say about them, but I am hoping to dive into the classics again soon; I plan on picking up the RetroN3 clone, as we are packing up much of our things, and attempting to consolidate everything else. I have heard decent things about it as far as clones go, and it will be a great space saver if anything. I STILL have not completed my article about Classic Game Room, which I feel really badly about. I have the interview ready, but I feel it would be a waste to put it up without a substantial article. Working on two books and an entirely different blog make it tough to want to really sit down and do something substantial.

But in the meantime, I am waiting for Starcraft 2 to hit store shelves. I played the original game I believe 12 years ago, when I was working off of a shitty old Compaq Presario. It was a lot of fun back then, and many a night was spent in front of a computer screen killing Zerg and Protoss, and getting my ass handed to me in skirmish mode and online. I am more of a fan of slow strategy games, but Starcraft had an unlimited appeal at the time, especially since I was obsessed with sci-fi fantasy. I would eventual lose my Starcraft disc, and would be forced to later pick up the Battle Chest, but by that point, I didn't really care anymore. It grabbed my attention for a solid year or so, but I didn't touch it much after that, getting more into console games.

When I heard SC2 was hitting store shelves in July, I did what any self-respecting idiot would do; I dropped 1600 dollars on a new computer. I have been eagerly anticipating the release since, while at the same time, being very wary of my own short attention span. I am now privy to slow RPG or strategy titles, and quick paced action games. There is very little room for an RTS in my life, but I HAVE to give Starcraft a shot. I say I will wait, but I will probably end up getting it on launch day. I will probably play it for a week, and I will probably not give a shit afterward. It is the sad reality of how I have changed as a gamer, how my tastes have transformed over the year. I wish it wouldn't be so.

In only 4 days, we will find out. This long hyped sequel, 12 fucking years later, will change the world of gaming. Or whatever, who knows. Everytime anything by Blizzard comes out, it is a huge event. I have NO DOUBTS this will be a fantastic game, and probably the best RTS since the original Starcraft. It will recieve absolute rave reviews. It will mop the floor with any potential competition. And the only PC launch to surpass it will be World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, and Diablo 3. It's not that I will not ENJOY the game, it's simply that I will not be able to invest the required effort or work into it to really get good at all, to make it a very satisfying experience. It's unfortunate, and sad, but it's just the way it is.

I am still excited however. Only 4 more days left!

Mini Review time

2010-07-19T13:15:00.000-07:00

Once again, it is mini review time! A few games, picked at absolute random based on what I have been playing lately. Enjoy!

SHIREN THE WANDERER

This is the version for the Wii, which is the third game in the series. Shiren could be considered one of the original Japanese Roguelikes. For the Super Nintendo it was tough as nails, forcing you to restart the entire game pretty much every time you turned it on. If you died, total game over. With the new Shiren, things are a bit easier this time around; if you die, you lose all of your held items, so the penalties are similar to other recent Roguelikes. It's surprising to see that we have two big name Roguelikes already on the Wii, with Chocobos Dungeon being the other one. In fact, there are a bunch for the DS as well, so it's nice that the genre is not being ignored. As far as Shiren goes, I haven't delved to deeply in, but it is highly enjoyable so far, and having an actual party to quest along with you is a nice touch. If you weren't a fan before, you won't be now. The game is all about discovery, and to date not a single FAQ exists to get you through the madness; a shame considering how big the game is, but hey, that's life. Not nearly as pretty as Chocobo, but just as user friendly. Definitely worth thirty bucks at any rate, even if you didn't like the original Shiren for SNES/DS.

THE DARK SPIRE

One of my cohorts recently bought this game for me. It is one of the most punishing brutal experiences I have ever had in a video game, period. Dark Spire is published by Atlus (like Shiren) and it also takes an ancient RPG genre and attempts to renew it, tackling the 1st person dungeon crawl much like Ultima or Wizardry before it. In fact, it is SO classic that it even includes an 8-bit mode, wherein the game looks and sounds as if it belongs on an NES, without losing any of the features! It's very cool, and I prefer to play in this manner. It is a crushingly difficult game, with little to no exposition or explanation. There is a sort-of story in place, but it is just an excuse for you to dive into a massive, multi-tiered dungeon, getting your ass kicked all the way through. The game does NOT hold your hand, and because of this, I can't really recommend it to anybody who doesn't already love these types of games. I am enjoying it quite a bit, (Thanks mysterious stranger!) but it is certainly not for the meek hearted. Proceed with caution, and with a hefty guide if you want to get through this monstrous beast of a game.

MEGA MAN 10

Once again, trying to play off the "retro" market, Capcom came out with another 8-bit Mega Man game, a follow up to Mega Man 9 for WiiWare, XBLA, and Sony Store. To be truthful, I am not really digging this game. Mega Man 9 was not only a very cool idea, but it was a really solid Mega Man game, right up there with 2 and 3 as the best in the series. Mega Man 10 attempts the same, but feels more like 4 or 6, a little too irritating and gimmicky to be a whole lot of fun. The difficulty is nice, but is sometimes provided only through annoying gameplay elements which are frustrating to deal with, and do not help the core gameplay at all. I haven't given this game a really fair shot yet, but it is definitely not living up to my expectations so far.

DRAGON QUEST IX

I am now about 16 hours in, and I have seen a good deal of what the game has to offer. I can sum it up now in a few words; if you like the series already, you will love this entry. It feels too big to be on the Nintendo DS, technical problems with slowdown showcasing this to the nth degree. This only helps to showcase what a massive, beautiful game lies underneath, and fans of the series will surely not be dissapointed. It mixes old with new, opting for a style which resembles the DS remakes, while throwing in 3rd person touches, and other graphical cues from the 8th game in the series. The gameplay is simplistic Dragon Quest, but with a very grindy class system, offers literally endless things to do. The post game is the big winner here apparently, with multiplayer and random dungeon maps adding some beef to the game. The story is nothing new, and plays out in Dragon Quest style; it is more about how you change the world than it is about an over-arching narrative, and revisiting towns you have saved etc. gives you a feeling of accomplishment, like you really are making a difference around you. Having enemies visible on screen is a big plus, and cuts down the monotony of random battles, while still being very focused on the heavy grind Dragon Quest fans will certainly appreciate. Once again, if you hate DQ with a passion, you will most certainly hate this entry; it is not going anywhere new, it simply improves on a well-loved formula.

SPELUNKY

It is a free PC game which will soon be coming to XBLA, a side scrolling platform adventure/roguelike which mixes elements of Rogue and Lode Runner to create something unique, and diabolically addicting. You play as an Indiana Jones look-alike who delves into a series of random dungeons, attempting to collect as much gold as possible by the end of the game. You get 4 hit points, and the only way to gain more is to save women trapped throughout the bowels of the dungeon. If you die, it is game over, and you start from scratch; no continues. You have a variety of items at your disposal, like handguns, ropes, bombs, and even rocks. The game is very difficult and a hell of a lot of fun, and is worth checking out if simply for the price; it costs ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, and can be played on most machines, as long as you are running Windows or Wine. Definitely worth a first, second, and third look, and it will be even better when it makes the jump to XBLA.

Dragon Quest IX: The NEXT Four Hours

2010-07-13T14:49:00.000-07:00

I have invested a lot of time into this game in the past few days, far more than I do with most games right from the get go.

That is because DQ is extremely addicting, much like other Dragon Quest games before it. The thing which makes it moreso this time around is the robust character creation system. It is very satisfying to watch your hand picked characters evolve, get different armor, and build up their individual skills and techniques.

As far as difficulty goes, I don't have much to say here. It is not extremely easy, but if you follow the rules of Dragon Quest, you should really have no troubles. Keeping armor and weapons up to date, using your characters correctly, and ensuring you keep your health off will guarantee survival. Never venture too far into new areas without taking rest stops back off at town, and you will have a decent time. The Contagion, the most recent boss I fought was a bit of a challenge, since he thoroughly debuffed my characters and I have no spell to keep their defense up, but other than that, I have had a pretty easy go at it. The White Knight, heralded by many new players as a very difficult boss, was absolutely CRUSHED by my party of four, without any difficulty.

The pace has been steady, the only gripe I have so far is a lack of any real intelligent dungeon design. The ruined town was a fun one, but the Contagion's dungeon was about as simplistic and mindless as they come. Usually dungeons are pretty well designed in DQ games, so this has been dissapointing. You certainly spend a lot more time on the overworld map, but the cool thing about that is, they actually make it worth exploring as I have mentioned in my previous post. Never should you have to spend money on medicinal herbs of any kind, or on other minor items which usually suck up your funds in these games. Weapons and armor are quite pricey especially when buying for four, so you will end up doing some grinding if you want to keep up to date. Other than that, there has not been much of a need to grind; I simply did so because I like to play these games more slowly.

The class system, which I am just becoming accustomed too, is even more expansive than I had previously thought. Apparently, when you pick a new class you revert back to level one, kind of like resurrecting your characters in Disgaea 2. The advantage is that you get to keep any skills you had accumulated while building your levels up in your previous class, which includes actual stat changes. So if you were putting stats into swordsmen, and you earned a +30 for your base strength stat, it will carry over into your next class. Some people are frustrated by this, but over a long period of time, it allows you to build up massive stats, which you will apparently need for the grueling post-game content. The main storyline is nothing to shake a stick at, but the bulk of the game takes place after the story is over, apparently. The treasure maps I had written about are apparently all randomly generated dungeons, with different features, treasures and enemies. For someone who is a big fan of rogue-likes, this is an AWESOME addition, and one that I am truly excited about.

8 hours into the game, and I feel like it's just beginning to get good. That being said, I have enjoyed every minute of it so far, but the diver you deep, the better it gets. Looking forward to see what the rest has in store.

Dragon Quest IX: The First Four Hours

2010-07-12T14:06:00.000-07:00

I really want DQ IX to do well.

The Dragon Quest series has never really been big news in North America. In Japan though, Dragon Quest is a well known phenomenon, and brought the RPG genre to the public eye. Dragon Quest is the first really popular computer RPG in Japan, and was originally inspired by the likes of Wizardry and Ultima. Over the years, the game has not changed very much in terms of mechanics; turn-based battles are the rage, and exploration is key. Dragon Quest has never been about deep, cinematic storytelling, rather opting to stick to traditional RPG roots; you will spend a hell of a lot more time grinding and dungeon crawling than you will anything else, making this something of a niche title here. Dragon Quest IX is simply an evolution of this, and what a good one it is.

Dragon Quest 8 brought the game into a full 3D world, opting to ditch the traditional overhead view, putting the player in a 3rd person perspective. The results were absolutely phenomenal, and the game itself was an amazing journey from start to finish. The games mechanics shifted away from a class based system, opting instead to use attribute points for character customization. With Dragon Quest IX, we have the best of both worlds, with a few substantial changes to the gameplay mechanic the likes of which DQ has never seen before.

The biggest one, is that random battles are now gone. Enemies are present on screen, and can be avoided easily at will. I am not opposed to random battles myself, so I wasn't sure what to think of this change, but now that I have played it, I can honestly say it is a very good thing; not so much because I want to avoid battles, but more because it is much quicker to actually GET in a battle if I am doing some heavy grinding. It also saves the tedium of having to fight through hordes of measly slimes in order to simply return to an old area from time to time. Your party is also visible on screen at all times, which is a nice touch, (and necessary to implement multiplayer which I will touch on later) but it causes a lot of on screen slowdown. You will see this game drop below 30 frames quite often, but since this is a role-playing game, it will not hinder actual game play.

Turn-based battles are still in, but they are more stylistically approached than before. They are very similar to DQ 8 in many respects, but the actual battle animations are unique, with characters and enemies never staying stationary. It's difficult to explain, but they are much more lively than your typical Final Fantasy battle, while still retaining a 1st person perspective while taking actions during your turn. Seeing all of your characters, decked out in unique armor which is now visible when equipped running around on screen exchanging blows is a treat for the eyes, and very technically impressive considering the game is on the DS.

Speaking of the characters, your entire party consists of characters created from scratch, similar to the first Final Fantasy, or many traditional Western RPG's. There are some complaints about this, but since Dragon Quest is largely influenced by similar games (the creator recently going so far as citing Oblivion being an influence on DQ IX) this should not be an issue for most. The storyline is still fleshed out well, and the player still feels like a part in a massive quest, but all party character interaction is gone. A fair trade considering you get to create a completely customizable group of allies, from class right down to physical appearance. You are given much more control, which allows you to have more of an attachment to your creations, adding a new element to the game while stripping away an old one.

DQ IX is still a grind. If you are not a fan of the Dragon Quest series, this game will likely not change your mind. The game is still about gaining levels, exploring dungeons, and leveling up your characters, and it is all the better for it. So far, the world is massive, and exploring all of the nooks and crannies can actually yield some decent rewards. Farming herbs on the world map is a neat new element obviously derived from more recent RPG's, and the game almost has an open MMO feel, while retaining it's connection to it's computer RPG roots. The game is fairly nice to look at, though the mixture of polygonal characters and actual drawn sprites is a bit strange to look at at first. The sound is exactly what you'd expect, and is traditional Dragon Quest fare all the way through. The soundtrack, as always, is familiar yet beautiful. And then, there is the multiplayer.

Granted, I have not had a chance to try the multiplayer, which is s shame since that is apparently an encouraged element of the gameplay. But I have heard many good things about it. You and three other players can essentially share in an adventure, three others joining one players world to assist him on quests, etc. Since battles are no longer random, the players can visibly see when a battle is taking place, and can jump in and aid their friend at anytime, so long as they are already playing in the same area. Downsides to this include the fact that only one players story is actually progressed, and the fact that aiding players can only gain loot from certain chests, etc. But overall, it sounds very intriguing. HOWEVER, and this is IMPORTANT to note, many journalistic game sites are touting that this is a multiplayer centric Dragon Quest. This gives the wrong impression that multiple players are required to enjoy the game. This is consequently, blatantly false. Since the part is completely customizable this time around, you do not lose anything by playing single player only. The only things you will lose as an ability to unlock "treasure map" areas quickly, as you will not be able to gain maps from other players. I cannot get into this, as I am not aware of it, but I wanted to reiterate that this IS a traditional single player fare in every sense of the word, and if you do not have friends who own the game, you will not be getting screwed.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go fight the White Knight.

Rogue

2010-07-06T09:18:00.000-07:00

I haven't been posting because there has been no reason to post. Been busy, and mostly just playing Sin and Punishment when I have any free time. But I have been once again diving into one of my all time favorite genre's of gaming, the Roguelike RPG.

Roguelike RPG's are usually very simply dungeon crawlers where the main objective is to dive as deep as you can into a catacomb without dying. The games generally consist of nothing but dungeons, and in some cases, perhaps a hub town where players can return to rest or sell items. The most familiar example of a Roguelike I can give would be Diablo, which was originally inspired by the genre, but with a more user friendly, action oriented interface. The basic concept remains the same; descend, while obtaining stronger equipment and items, until you ultimately reach the lowest level of the dungeon, and in this case, kill Diablo. The dungeons in Roguelikes are randomly generated, and yield a variety of hidden treasures and items to aid you on your quest. Unlike Diablo however, most Roguelike games have extreme penalties for failure, the most common being that the game is very simply over, and that you must start from scratch every single time you die. This is a huge caveat for most gamers, who will not appreciate the punishment these games have to offer. For fans of the genre, this is par for the course, and generally expected.

Roguelike comes from the game Rogue, which essentially boot started the genre. Since Rogue, there have been dozens of Roguelikes created, usually for PC, and usually containing very rudimentary graphics and sound. One of the most popular Roguelikes, which is Nethack, has a variety of available graphical front-ends, but in general is played using ASCII graphics. These games are playable on absolutely any computer because of this, while still offering a huge amount of depth and replayability, far more so than most graphic intensive games being released today. Nethack has a massive plethora of non-combat options, many of which will be necessary to even survive the later areas of the game. Roguelikes are the ultimate challenge in gaming today, and most gamers will never see the later levels of the majority of these games without a lot of skill and luck to aid them. They are fiendishly difficult no matter how you slice them.

So what is the appeal? Endless playability. I have had countless Nethack adventures, and each was different than the last. You could literally play these games a thousand times, and not see the same adventure play out twice. That in itself will keep some gamers coming back for more. But for some, these rudimentary games are much like watching a black and white movie; boring, and unappealing, depending on your tastes. Luckily, there do exist a number of games which keep the same basic idea of the Roguelike intact, while streamlining both the graphics and the gameplay.

In Japan, the Roguelike genre does fairly well for itself. The largest series of Roguelike games in Japan are the Mystery Dungeon games, which use a number of existing intellectual properties as their base, such as Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, or even Pokemon. The games largely play out the same; you are put in a randomly generated dungeon, and forced to overcome level after level, while building up your characters strength, collecting items, and the like. In general, these games are much more forgiving than their infamous Western cousins, and will for the most part allow you to continue on your quest, with penalties incurred. You may lose all or a portion of your items, gold, or experience, but you will generally not be forced to start the game over. In certain Mystery Dungeon games, such as the first Shiren The Wanderer for the Super Nintendo and Nintendo DS, death means starting over, literally from ground zero. You have some level of insurance, as you can store items in a warehouse which will survive even if you don't, but other than that, it's no holds barred. These games are considered to be quite niche, but there is quite a variety of them available Stateside, for anyone who is interested. They generally do average in reviews, usually losing big points for their difficulty, and general lack of impressive presentation. They are certainly not for everyone in anycase, and I suggest trying them out before you drop money on them.

The best way to play a Roguelike is to pick one, and jump right in. The most accessible and user friendly I have played so far on PC is Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup, a variation of an older Rogue, with updated graphics and tilesets. It is free, like most of them, and is not quite as complex or unfriendly as Nethack, while still remaining highly immense and enjoyable. Another one of my favorites do to it's simplicity and familiarity is Chocobo's Dungeon for the Nintendo Wii. Since it uses the familiar Final Fantasy universe as it's basis, it is very easy to get into, yet very difficult to master. It has pretty graphics for a Roguelike, and Chocobo can change into a variety of different classes, such as the familiar White Mage and Black Mage. It may be a bit cutesy for some, but there is a hell of a big game underneath the stuffed-animal fluff. Others to look for are Nightmare of Druaga for PS2, and Azure Dreams for the Playstation.

Sin and Punishment: Star Successor Review

2010-06-28T14:10:00.000-07:00

Treasure Strikes Gold Once Again

Sin and Punishment: Star Successor a highly appropriate example of what makes a fantastic video game. What you see is exactly what you get, yet you cannot comprehend the fun factor this game has to offer until you actually take the plunge, and pop the disc in your Wii for the first time.

It's funny to see all of the controversy surrounding the Nintendo Wii as being a game system for casual gamers only when a Treasure game hits the shelves, exclusively for the Wii. Treasure has never been known for it's casual games, and in fact, is notorious for putting out a handful of the most hardcore titles of all time. Pick any one of the three star titles from Treasure for the Sega Genesis (Gunstar Heroes, Dynamite Headdy, Alien Soldier) and you will understand why that is. For the most part, Treasure has filled a comfortable niche in providing gamers with twitch sci-fi action, and the sequel to the original Sin and Punishment for the Nintendo 64 is no exception. Stylistically, I'd say it is close to Ikaruga, while playing (of course) identically to it's predecessor, and for those not familiar with the series, to other rail shooters like Star Fox, mixed with a little bit of Contra on the side. It's a tough game to pigeonhole, and even harder to survive; players new to these types of games will get absolutely demolished. I consider myself something of a shooter veteran, my favorite titles by Treasure being Alien Soldier and Ikaruga, and I got absolutely swamped several times during my play through of the game. The only real way to win is to lose, to watch your enemies patterns, to understand what they are going to do next. This is definitely not one for the casual crowd, and in that respect, I can see why it feels very out of place on the Wii; but for those who have been thirsting for more hardcore titles, look no further.

As I mentioned previously, the gameplay is somewhere between a 3rd person rail shooter and a conventional shmup game, with a bit of melee combat thrown in for good measure. You control one of two main characters, Isa or Kachi, and both of them have their own unique styles of attack, which gives you a bit more replayability on the side when you are done your first run through. The one complaint that is sure to be heard is that the game is too short; I completely disagree. This is a traditional shooter, and if something like this, with the length it has, had come out in arcades or on consoles in the nineties, it would have been a landmark in terms of scale. For the type of game it is, an arcade shooter, it is plenty long enough, and with three difficulty modes, two characters, and a leaderboard scoring system, you will be hard pressed to find a more deeply satisfying shooter experience. Every moment in this game will challenge you, and I was never stuck in any one set piece long enough to say "I'm bored of this." It lasts just as long as it needs to, and keeps you barreling along for the ride, and I find it quite a shame that there will be folks who will pass it up because it isn't forty hours in length. Then again, this type of game is likely not for them if length is their only concern. You are treated to a multitude of stages, and as you progress through the game, you will note that in all actuality, each one of them is surprisingly long. They are general split into parts, with checkpoints in between, and when I first played through, I was amazed by the length of some of them. Each stage is beautifully well laid out, varied, and complex, and with the highest boss count I have seen in recent memory, the stakes are high, and the action unstoppable.

Presentation wise, the game definitely holds it's own. As I said, if I had to compare it to anything else in terms of style, I'd say it is most similar to the kind of contrasting look and feel of Ikaruga. The storyline is quite unique for a game of this style, where humanity was created and maintained due to it's naturally violent nature to act as a sort of defense force for the galaxy, and anytime a human transcends his own violence in an attempt to be altruistic, he is disposed of. Story is not what you are looking for when you dive into these types of games generally, and apart from cut scenes dispersed throughout the levels, much of the back story is revealed in the instruction manual. What is there is nice, if standard Japanese fare, and is a decent diversion to the meat of the game. The menus are fast paced and beautiful, and you have a number of control, sound, and video options at your disposal, including a language change option if you prefer the original voice acting to the English dub. I personally stuck with the dub, and have not found it to be offensive or irritating in the slightest, but it is a nice littler perk which many games do not often provide, to their detriment.

The graphics in this game are functional, and in some cases, downright breathtaking. Check out the first major boss, an alien turtle which looks like something out of Lost Planet, with the graphics to boot. The game runs at a solid pace, however there are times when it is marred by slowdown, though they seemed to be few and far in between, and if anything, were reminiscent of shmups of yesteryear, not doing anything to hinder gameplay, and sometimes even decreasing the difficulty during some of the more hectic moments. The sound is superb, the voice acting decent, and the music splendid as well. I have had one tune stuck in my head since I first popped it in, the soundtrack sitting somewhere between hard rock and frenzied electronic.

There is a two player mode, but unfortunately the game does not utilize both players to achieve this, making it similar to the two player mode available in the first Sin and Punishment for the Nintendo 64. While this is a shame, I do not personally consider it a large drawback, and I can imagine the screen becoming quite cluttered should a second player have been involved in the action. This is more like Alien Soldier or Astro Boy than it is like Gunstar Heroes or Ikaruga in that respect, though it is nothing that Treasure hasn't pulled before, and there at least still is an option for a buddy to get involved, though it may not be as satisfying as two people whipping around on the screen like crazy.

As a longtime Treasure fan, I really wasn't sure what to expect from this title. I knew it would be good, but I didn't know just how impressed I would be as I battled through each stage, how it would "wow" me from start to finish. This is a game I can honestly say, much like it's predecessors, that I will be playing for years to come. Though it has it's minor flaws, and will definitely not be familiar territory for many current gamers, it is a godsend for the old-school. This is a game I could easily see sitting in a giant arcade cabinet somewhere, and it is all the better for it. They did not pull any punches, they did not attempt to pad up the game, and so we are left with one of the best releases of the year, and possibly of this current generation altogether. Even if you have no nostalgia for these types of games, you owe it to yourself to rent it. It is a game which will sadly mostly be ignored I am certain, but for those of you who do pick it up, you will not be dissappointed.

The Curse of the Motion Controller

2010-06-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

Goddammit, that looks embarrassing.

Video games used to more or less be about one thing; sitting in a bar with some friends, killing time, eating pretzels, and spending your hard earned quarters. What began as a mild distraction absolutely exploded into a massive industry, which more resembled a lingering fad than anything else. After the arcade era had ended, shadows were cast on the industry, and the fate of gaming was largely unknown. Of course, a little company called Nintendo would make sure all of that changed, and for the past thirty years, we haven't looked back.

Whether you are a "retro gamer", or are more interested in modern gaming, the premise is essentially the same; you sit in front of your television or cabinet or computer screen, or whatever it is you have, you hold a piece of plastic with buttons on it somewhere, you click the buttons, and fun ensues. Whether you are a PC gamer, an arcade gamer, or a console gamer, the basics don't really change. But in the last few years, we have seen a fairly new trend abound, and it is largely concerned with how we control the games.

You can go reasonably far back in time and point out the phenomenon that was Dance Dance Revolution to see where a lot of this began. We have had plenty of arcade games in the past which used steering wheels, plastic skateboards, and other devices which served as little more than to immerse you into the gameplay experience. What they all boil down to, Dance Dance Revolution included, is a different way to control the games you are playing. This makes them feel refreshing, and new. A B X and Y are now replaced with multicolored buttons on a plastic fretboard, but they are still just A B X and Y. Companies like Harmonix and Activision, as well as Red Octane have been raking in thousands of dollars, not for creating new and original game ideas (rhythm games have been around in Japan for over a decade) but for the sales of molded plastic made to resemble objects in real life, used to immerse the player in a fantasy world where they are IN the game. There is barely a gamer around who doesn't own a fake guitar, or a plastic pad with giant buttons on it, even though these are concepts that hearken back to the NES days and even before that, to the Odyssey. But why the boom now? After decades of peripherals, why haven't they caught on until this point?

I have my own theories. One, gamers who were growing up in the eighties and nineties as kids, who never were able to experience these toys on their own, are now able to do so at a much more reasonable price. Not only this, but the technology has improved drastically since then, and hooking up your Super Scope or your Menacer and attempting to hit moving targets is no longer the frustrating chore it once was. The game market has expanded to include such a huge age range; gaming isn't just for young adults anymore. There are games designed to cater to any crowd you could possibly think of, and this expansion of the industry allows more sales, more quickly. Gaming is not just for the geeky, or the hardcore, and the advertising is no longer aimed at the preteen who is looking for "cool" in every nook and cranny. Take a look at game advertising done years ago, compared to how it is done now.

No longer is it "Billy, jean-jacket clad cyber warrior in the 25th century", but instead, "Silly Japanese guys in smart car heading into middle class white suburbia to play with mom, dad, and the kids." You have everything in between, but I am using Nintendo as the primary example here because it brings me to the next caveat; motion controls.

At E3, there were quite a few new games, some interesting surprises, redesigned hardware, and of course, a brand new Nintendo console, the 3DS. But for Sony and Microsoft, E3 was all about playing catch-up, and their presentations were largely focused around the Microsoft Kinect, and the Sony Move; two motion control devices specifically designed to rival the Nintendo Wii.

Nobody really new what to expect from the Wii before it was released. Nintendo had just come out of a relatively ho-hum run with the Gamecube, making up for their losses with huge Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS sales, and it would be the second console in a row which would be trumped to hell by the lumbering beast that was Sony. The Nintendo Wii, it's lack of high definition graphics, and it's strategy to market itself towards families and casual gamers was a bold choice, and ultimately, a very good one. These things flew off the shelves, and you absolutely could not find one for months on end. There were some decent games like Zelda available for the console straight from the get go, but the main eye-catcher was the pack-in game Wii Sports, which was basically a glorified tech demo, and not something that caught the attention of traditional, hardcore gamers. Month after month would roll by as hardcore gamers became more and more annoyed that the Wii was not going to live up to their expectations; expectations which were set very unfairly, despite the Wii's obvious intention to appeal to a different crowd. Shovelware, gimmicky software based on the motion controller would come out by the bucket full, and Wii Play, another set of tech demo mini games would come out, and destroy all competition before it, reaching unprecedented sales numbers, partially due to it's pack-in controller. For the hardcore, the Wii was a lost cause, and even when hardcore titles did come out, they were often marred by buggy motion controls, and sometimes, in the case of Metal Slug Anthology, there was no option to turn them off.

As time has passed, the Wii has certainly received it's share of more traditional games, but the bar is still set quite low in that regard, and people who dislike motion controls be damned. Personally, I have no problem with this approach. Financially, it was a fantastic move on Nintendo's part, and the Wii is easily the best selling console of the three amigos this current generation. And hey, if you want hardcore games, there is a myriad of older consoles available that will meet your needs, not to mention the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360. So no worries, right?

With the market essentially being saturated with casual games marketed to a wider range of audiences, there is a looming threat to gaming in general on the horizon. With Sony and Microsoft both wanting a piece of the casual pie, my fear is that we will have a new age of gaming where casual trumps hardcore. I am being highly melodramatic; hardcore gamers still buy hardcore games, and with an overwhelming amount of retro revivals announced at E3, it looks like the current trend may have more to do with reliving the past than looking into the future. But I think we can look forward to seeing dozens of bargain bins chock full of the new "Carnival Party Bash Deluxe", not just for the Wii, but for the other competitors as well. The Kinect is coming out at a huge price point, and the Sony Move is not shying away from cost either, so it is interesting to see how well these peripherals will be utilized, or if it is simply too late for them to catch on as well. I love the Wii-remote, not for it's shake-centric games, but because it makes navigating menus simple and intuitive; absolutely unnecessary, and that is one of the few positive things I have to say about it, but if you can ignore the thousands of shitty party games it is actually not a terrible peripheral.

I just find it ironic how games have become a diversion from the diversion. We used to be satisfied with a joystick in hand, but now that games are everywhere, this unstoppable monster of addiction and relapse with many gamers, we seem to be attempting to instill this "get out of the house" mentality by releasing hundreds of games that require us to jump up and down, wave our arms around like idiots, etc. In a very hilarious E3 presentation, Ubisoft even had the balls to announce the completely laughable "outside video game", which was just two laser-tag guns and harnesses.

Look forward to the day when Nintendo announces their video-less console; two foam nerf bats, in a massive, ever-changing, free-roaming sand box environment called "outside".

That is essentially what all of these things boil down to, so why don't we just cut to the chase, put our motion controllers, cameras, and plastic guns down, and just get the hell out of the house for awhile?

Yeah. Keep your fuzzy, cute, animated tigers, and give me a Sega 6-button, Contra, and a case of beer.

Megami Tensei

2010-06-23T08:55:00.000-07:00

Wow, it has been eight days since I last posted. Not a good sign...I have been letting everything from E3 set in, have been making a battle plan to acquire all the cool new games coming out in the next year or so. Next on the list, without a doubt, is Sin and Punishment 2, a sequel to one of my favorite games on the N64, by one of my favorite developers of all time, Treasure. Sequels to older games generally don't work out so good; Gunstar Heroes and Guardian Heroes both received pretty ho-hum sequel treatment in my opinion, and Treasure just generally is not known for it's sequels. But I can name a few games off of the top of my head that made the grade, including Astro Boy, Gunstar Heroes, Alien Soldier, Ikaruga, Dynamite Headdy, and of course the original Sin and Punishment. All of these are classics in my opinion, and I have spent my fair share of time with each one. But I have heard a lot of positive stuff about S&P 2, some people have even said it is actually MUCH better than the first game...a bit skeptical there, but let's hope so. Other than that, I don't want to blab about E3 too much. There is an insane amount of information available elsewhere, and I have presented my initial impressions here. Let's just say there are a few franchises I will be keeping my eye on, but my focus is still retro gaming, and one series I have wanted to get into for awhile, is the Megami Tensei series of console RPG games.

If you have never played a game from this series, you are missing out on an integral part of Japanese RPG history. Simply put, the Megami Tensei series is the third most popular RPG series in Japan, right behind Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. The Megami Tensei games generally take a different approach, resembling Western RPG's more closely than their counterparts. (which are also technically based on Western RPG's to begin with.) The series could be compared to something like Might and Magic, Ultima, or Wizardry; a dungeon crawling RPG set in a first person perspective. That distinction is interesting in it's own right, and it seems there is a general misconception about Japanese RPG's, namely the fact that the computer RPG in general came from the west first. The first Dragon Quest was an attempt to create an RPG for a Japanese audience, so calling anything a "JRPG" is really something of a misnomer. There is a very good video about it below, by the RPG Fanatic, which will get into the semantics for you incase you don't quite understand the distinction. But as far as Megami Tensei goes, all you need to know is that it is a traditional dungeon crawling RPG, with some unique twists to the genre.

Likely, this style of gameplay is one of the main reasons why it never really caught on here. RPG's didn't really start to boom until Final Fantasy 7 was released, for the most part. We have had our fair share of them come this way, but there are a plethora of games in the genre which never made it State-side. Now, console RPG's are just about as common as any other genre, though the more modern MMORPG's seem to be taking a lot more consumers' time and money these days. A rom-hacker/translator recently expressed his disgust with Japanese RPG's, after spending countless time and effort to translate some fan favorites to English, which unfortunately never came our way. One of the Shin Megami Tensei games, a remake of the first two original Megami Tensei games for the Super Famicom was a project of his, which unfortunately now seems to be defunct. His common complaint was the utter simplicity of the gameplay mechanics, and the cookie-cutter anime storylines, and for the most part, I have to agree. Growing up with games like Chrono Trigger and the Final Fantasy series, I was subject to a fair amount of this, well before the RPG genre took off in North America. Having played dozens of what essentially boils down to the same game, I was growing fairly disenchanted with the genre myself, and I gave it up for quite a long time after the release of Final Fantasy 7. It wasn't until the first official game in the primary Megami Tensei series released in North America, Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne was released for the Playstation 2, that my interest was piqued once again.

You could say there were four primary games in the Megaten series as it is commonly called before Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne was released. You have the first two Megami Tensei games released for the Famicom, the first game being based on a series of novels known as Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei. After that, you had Shin Megami Tensei (which I am assuming means "new" Megami Tensei or something like that.) for the Super Famicom, followed by Shin Megami Tensei 2, on the same console. After that, I believe there was a ten year gap before the next official game was released, though there was a multitude of Megaten spin-off games which came out in the meantime, spread over various consoles. The series most well known here would have to be the Persona series, the first game of which was released in 1996 for the Sony Playstation. Though the games were a departure from the over-arching storyline of the original Megaten games, they retained a similar style and art direction, as well as many other familiar aspects. All of the spin-off games essentially take place in the same universe as the original games, with many gameplay differences throughout.

Apart from a couple of Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance games, Persona was really the only thing we saw in the States of the series, until for whatever reason, Atlus decided to localize Nocturne. As it stands, Nocturne is one of the best games in the series, and was a fantastic choice of a localization; it also seemed to come at a time when Atlus was beginning to gain a bit of notoriety in the west, appearing roughly around the same time that they brought the tactical RPG, Disgaia: Hour of Darkness to the Playstation 2 in the States. Nocturne was met with highly favorable reviews and praise upon it's release, and for such an obscure game, was generally successful. The Shin Megami Tensei series has since exploded in the west, and we have seen a number of Megaten games make their way Stateside, including most of the Persona series, the Digital Devil Saga games for the PS2, and a number of Megaten games for hand-helds, including the most recent game in the main Megami Tensei series, Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, which is considered to be Shin Megami Tensei 4.

So just what is Megami Tensei? I have spent a lot of time explaining the history of the game, but for a series that has been around since the eighties, why didn't we see it here earlier, and what makes it different than any other dungeon crawling RPG of its kind?

To put it simply, Shin Megami Tensei does not shy away from controversy. The games have practically invented their own mythos over time, spanning literally across dozens of unique iterations. One thing that is common across most of the games however, is their strong reliance on demonology, which is a very large component of the core gameplay. Much like the Pokemon series of games which would come nearly a decade after the first Megami Tensei title, the Megaten games' cast consists largely of dozens of unique demons, which can be recruited and utilized in battle. Every game in the primary Megaten series has some element of demon recruiting involved, where you can coerce enemies to join your team as opposed to doing battle with you. As opposed to games like Pokemon, which force you to train your companions in battle in order to raise their attributes, Megaten games are somewhat unique in that you must fuse demons together to create new ones should you wish to maintain an adequately strong team of allies in order to progress through the game. Although this idea of turning enemies into friends in an RPG is nothing new today, we had hardly seen anything like it until the Pokemon games were released in North America. In reality, the Megaten series was doing this long before Pokemon was popularized, and debatably, in a much more solid, streamlined fashion.

Since the gameplay is largely concerned with the existence of demons and other supernatural lifeforms, the storyline is also centered around these elements, most notably in the second and third Shin Megami Tensei games. Another thing the series is known for, is allowing players to choose their own destinies during the course of the game. The outcome of each game depends on the choices you make as you progress. As you make your way through the game, you will be presented with a multitude of oftentimes somewhat ambiguous moral choices, and depending on your own theoretical philosophical stance, you will be categorized into one of a number of allignments, including Law, and Chaos, the extreme opposite ends of the spectrum. Considering that the true final boss of the second Shin Megami Tensei game is Yahweh, the Christian God, you can easily see why there is a large amount of controversy surrounding the series. Yahweh represents extreme order, a life of eternal bliss under extreme dictatorial, fanatical rule, where as Lucifer represents true freedom, in a world where might makes right, and the strong reign supreme. You have everything in between, but the simple fact that the archetypes of God and the Devil are presented in such an ambiguous fashion makes the game ripe with controversy, and it is easy to see why they neglected to localize the series, especially in such a time of high censorship, with the sensitive subject matter at hand. There are no definitive borders between good and evil, which makes this one of the few thinking man's RPG's, especially when you contrast these games amongst a slew of happy-go-lucky, "let's save the world" storyline's which Japan is notorious for producing in general.

(Fighting Yahweh at the end of Megaten 2, with Satan in your party.)

There is a decent amount of violence, swearing, and other mature rated material in place; and let's not forget the myriad of sexual innuendo strewn throughout the game, such as a particularly detailed phallus shaped demon, not to mention a barrel full of sexy succubi, bondage angels, and all sorts of other non-G rated material which would make the censors blush. These games were definitely not catered to an American audience, and since much of the demonology involved is firmly embedded in Japanese lore, it makes them very difficult to localize. Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey attempted to veer away from this formula a bit, being the first Megaten title with a western audience in mind. You still have plenty of Japanese wierdness, but with a core storyline that may be a little easier for audiences here to digest.

(Not really related, but to put the sexiness into perspective, here is a girl with hot legs playing the boss battle music to Shin Megami Tensei on electric guitar.)

I don't want to delve too much into any specific game, as this article would go on for pages, but I will suggest a couple of resources for those of you whose interest I have piqued. To summarize, my own experiences with the Megaten games have largely been positive. Before I played Nocturne, I really hadn't enjoyed dungeon crawling RPG's, and had done my best to avoid anything that didn't have Squaresoft stamped all over it. After spending a great deal of time with Nocture, my eyes were opened to a vast variety of games within the RPG genre; I got into roguelike games such as Nethack, and Chocobos Dungeon. I started to play more traditional RPG's such as the Dragon Quest series. I became a lot more receptive to games like Etrian Odyssey, and other first-person dungeon crawlers. These were all the types of games I would consistently give a thumbs down to years ago, but which have now become some of my favorite in the RPG genre, easily surpassing games such as Final Fantasy, due to their purity, simplicity, and (what I feel, anyways.) highly rewarding gameplay.

There are many who would strongly argue that a story makes the game when it comes to RPG's; I almost completely disagree with that statement. When it comes to tabletop RPG's such as Dungeons and Dragons, story is indeed the most important factor. But traditional computer RPG's have largely been devoid of this, for the simple reason that they were not up to the challenge of emulating such a diverse, personalized experience. They became their own breed of game, where the highlight was exploration, loot collection, and character development. I would relate them to be much closer to fantasy board games from the same era, than to the traditional pen and paper RPG's which they generally attempt to emulate. Look at something like Dungeon, Hero Quest, or the more modern Descent: Journey into Darkness, and you will see what is essentially a video game RPG on cardboard, with plastic bits. The main focus is on the game play, and everything else is fluff. Console and computer RPG's make a valiant attempt to flesh out the story lines in their games, and with modern technology, and the ability to implement long cut scenes and voice acting, these elements are now more consistent than ever. But in the process of expanding the story lines in our games, hardcore game play and micromanagement often takes a back seat, and this is why I have found myself craving more traditional games such as Megami Tensei.

Make no mistake; the storyline and the themes in this series will leave you with an immense feeling of satisfaction. The immersive feeling you get from knowing that your moral actions will affect the outcome of the game without feeling tacked on and superficial are well worth the price of admission; but don't expect the game to simply drag you along for the ride. These games are extremely difficult at times, and are not simply an endless level grind with artificial barriers locking you in place until you can get that extra stat point or two necessary to pass the next boss. Very specifically, in games like Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, you will have to do a great deal of strategical planning if you even wish to simply survive through the next boss battle. I know more than a few people who got permanently stuck in place because they were expecting to be able to simply gain another level, and move on to the next challenge; not so. These games will kick your ass to the floor, and if you are new to the series, especially if you are new to dungeon crawlers of this type, I will make a couple of suggestions to make your transition a little bit easier.

First, I have heard a great deal of good things about the Persona series. I have never played them myself, but Persona 3 and 4 for the PS2 are highly acclaimed, and seem to be a good entry point for newcomers to the series. Think of them as a dungeon crawler crossed with a Japanese dating sim, with the dark elements of a horror mystery thrown in for good measure. From what I have heard, these are a terrific starting point if you are new to these games, and want to explore a bit of the lore behind the Megaten universe. Alternately, I have heard many positive things about the Digital Devil Saga games. They are much simpler in comparison to many games in the series, as they completely omit the concept of demon recruitment, and present a more traditional style of turn-based game play.

I can only comment on what I have played, and currently I am most familiar with the Shin Megami Tensei series of games. I own all four of them, and although I am beginning to lean toward the first game in the series as my favorite, I would have to say the easiest jumping off point in terms of accessibility would probably be Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne. For one thing, it does away with the off-putting 1st person perspective which the games are known for, making it very familiar, and easy to jump into. It has a ramping difficulty level, with some really tough spots scattered here and there, and the learning curve of the demon recruitment, Magatama, and Press-Turn systems may be off-putting, but it is fairly straightforward for the most part, and generally does a decent job of easing you into the game play. The dungeon crawling is broken up by a decent amount of NPC interaction, a fairly sizable over world map, and plenty of story-related tidbits, so you will not feel like you are aimlessly exploring endless dungeons for no real purpose or reward. The graphics are beautiful, the sound is amazing, and the game simply oozes style, taking advantage of it's unique art-style better than any other game in the series.

If you cannot get your hands on Nocturne, Strange Journey is your next best bet. For one thing, it is widely available being somewhat of a new release. It is for the DS, which makes it easy to pick up and play at your leisure, and it is simplified in the fact that the only exploring you will be doing is in several massive dungeons. The game retains a traditional 1st person perspective, while combining elements of the Super Famicom titles with the more recent Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne. You only have one main character to manage, who has access to swords and guns, while the rest of your part consists of demons which you recruit as you progress through the game. Like in Nocturne, your demons can level up, though it takes a long time to do so, and the only way you are going to get through the game at a decent pace is by fusing them to make new ones. The difficulty is quite consistent here, though you shouldn't get destroyed very often unless you make poor choices with your demons, and neglect to upgrade your main characters armor and weapons in regular intervals. This is about as traditional as they get; about the only thing you will be doing in the game is walking through endless dungeons, so you had better prepare yourself for that. Do not expect a novel worth of storyline here, as once again, game play is front row center. I am absolutely loving this game as well, though I still think Nocturne struck the best balance in terms of the activities you will be performing. If you can find Nocturne, snatch it up, but if Strange Journey is your only choice, it isn't a bad one by any means.

Finally, we come down to the more traditional games in the series. Unfortunately, playing these games can quickly become Japanese 101, since only Shin Megaten 1 and 2 for the Super Famicom have had a proper translation treatment. I made the mistake of buying a reproduction cartridge of the first game, which I later found out is absolutely littered with bugs and glitches, which ultimately prevent you from completing the Law path, should you choose to do so. There are some other things that hinder gameplay, such as a glitch which prevents you from buying guns early in the game, which are pertinent for your survival. The second game seems to be more consistent, and I haven't heard any negative reception about the translation, but beware if you are going to try out the first game. The translation was done in 2001, and has not been updated since. It is also difficult to get a working ROM of the translation as well. Either way, both of these games are worth your efforts, and though they do have dated elements about them, they hold up surprisingly well today.

If you want to play the first and second games in the series, Megami Tensei 1 and 2 for the Nintendo Famicom, you are basically shit out of luck right now. To date, there are no completed translations, and no intentions on Atlus' part to localize these games in any way. As I mentioned earlier, there was an ongoing project in the works to translate the Super Famicom port of the first two games, but it is since defunct with no apparent plans for revival. There are many games in the Megaten series that are practically inaccessible to English speaking gamers, so if you want to play the games, your best bet is to pick up the original cartridges, a Japanese/Enlgish dictionary, and a boat-load of patience. FAQ's and guides are somewhat sparse, so if you do decide to go this route, good luck to you. I will personally be acquiring the original Super Famicom port of the first two games, as well as original copies of the first two games, simply as collectors pieces. Other than that, it is not something I recommend doing unless you have a lot of free time on your hands.

I have spent a few hours writing this in an attempt to convince you why these are excellent games, and why you should give them a chance. I have provided you with a bit of back-story behind them, as well as my own personal recommendations. These are some of the finest video games Japan has to offer, and you owe it to yourself to try them, at the very least. That being said, they are certainly not for everyone, and your own sensibilities may be offended if you do not go into them with an open mind. Or hell, you might just not like them for the same reasons why I DO like them. But regardless, let it be known: The Megaten series of games are some of the finest examples of straightforward, dungeon crawling, RPG goodness, and they encompass everything that is worthwhile in the genre.

E3 2010 Information

2010-06-15T11:32:00.000-07:00

Nintendo is rocking some serious shit at this years E3.

In the last hour, there have been about a dozen new Nintendo titles announced, mostly for the upcoming handheld system, the 3DS. We can look forward to new versions of Pilotwings, Starfox, Mario Kart, and even a Kid Icarus game in the works. What is also looking pretty nice, is the new Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, for the Nintendo Wii. Graphically, it looks like a mix of the realistic Twilight Princess, and the Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Bright colorful graphics, but with the mature Link we have all come to love. Also in store for us is a new Goldeneye 007 game, a sort of re-invention of the original for the Nintendo 64, with new updated scenarios, graphics, and Daniel Craig replacing Pierce Brosnan as Bond. It's a bold, intriguing move, and it is shaping up to be pretty nice. Along with all that, screen shots of the actual 3DS system, which is apparently a next-generation console, with improved graphics, and not just regular DS games with gimmicky 3D thrown on top. It looks largely the same as the DS, but with an analog stick to compliment the D-Pad, and a longer top screen.

There is an overwhelming amount of information pouring in already, and this is the first day of the show. Microsoft has been focusing primarily on their Kinetic, also known as Project Natal, which is essentially a motion controller in the form of a camera. To be honest, I am really hard pressed to be wowed by a motion controlled anything anymore, and none of the games on display along with Kinetic look any more interesting than most of the shovelware Wii games we see on a daily basis. They are taking a different approach by eliminating the need to hold a stick in your hands, but it is pretty much more of the same. The redesigned 360 Slim is looking pretty beautiful, but other than that, Microsoft has been fairly underwhelming so far.

As for Sony, the big mover seems to be the Playstation Move. (Ha, ha.) Once again, the technology is looking good, it is a highly functional PS3 Wii-Remote essentially, but it is not any more innovative than either it's Wii predecessor, or the Kinetic. The most exciting thing for me personally is the introduction of a new Socom game, which will utilize the Playstation Move, and apparently do it quite well. Other than that, we largely have the same releases coming out between 360, PS3, and PC, and there is nothing huge to write home about in that respect.

IGN and Gamespot are literally updating their pages every few minutes with new info, so I am not going to provide dozens of videos, pictures and links. I wanted to take some time out of my day instead to comment on some things that interest me the most out of this whole event.

The first thing, is Sonic the Hedgehog 4. Having completed the entirety of Sonic 3 (Doomsday Zone and all!) the other day, I am hyping myself up for a new Sonic. Frankly, the new game looks fairly average in my opinion. It literally looks like the best Sonic game to come out since the Genesis, but I am already expecting a "meh" sort of experience when it does come along. It is split into downloadable chapters, which I already don't like, and it looks like the are trying to play up the nostalgia level by sort of reinventing Sonic 1, for the most part. While I am not against this, it certainly doesn't look like a new Sonic title because of that, but more of a reinvention. Where the new Rocket Knight was a totally new game which was based on the template of it's predecessors, the new Sonic just looks like a nostalgia fest in the making. I will buy it, I will play it, and because it IS 2D Sonic the Hedgehog platforming action, I'll probably love it. I have little real complaints to make about the game engine, the graphics, or the sound; they are all looking fantastic. It is already much better than I expected it would ever be.

Another one I am really looking forward to is the new Rayman game. It is 2D platforming in a 3D world, but with some incredibly interesting design choices. It looks absolutely beautiful so far, and looks about as far away from conventional as the still lovely original Rayman did back in the day. Very, very excited about that.

NBA Jam on the Wii is looking hot as hell! It looks essentially like a remake of the NBA Jam games available in arcades, and console wide back in the 90's. I'm not a big sports guy, but I could never forget flaming basketballs, and giant-headed players. Those games were fun as all hell, and this one is looking no different. I have not been this excited about a sports game in years, and the only thing that could blow me away more would be a remake of Mutant League Football. Boom-shaka-laka!

As I'm typing this, screen shots just appeared on IGN's site from the new Donkey Kong Country game, Donkey Kong Country Returns. It's being developed by the team who made Metroid Prime, and it will feature 1st person exploration in the Donkey Kong universe. You play through the eyes of Kong, and atop your tower of girders and ladders, you have to use the Wii remote to point at, and fire barrels at Mario as he attempts to get to the top to save his girlfriend...well, not really. I can't view the trailer since the website is giving me a 404, but it is apparently a reinvention of the original Donkey Kong Country games, with 2D platforming involved.

As I type this, they just announced Resident Evil is also coming to the 3DS. If the screen shots are any indication, the 3DS is going to be a huge step beyond the DS in terms of graphics. It's looking to be on the same level as Gamecube and Wii for the most part, which is not a disappointment.

Epic Mickey is still coming for the Wii, and still looking good as well. It seems like platforming action with some RPG elements, set in a dark, unusual Disney environment. Also on the plate is Metroid: Other M, which looks to revitalize the original Metroid gameplay, straying away from the 1st person perspective utilized in more modern Metroid games, while still keeping some elements of that intact.

I am only focusing on the Nintendo titles for the most part because that is what they are focusing on right now as well. I did sift through Microsoft and Sony as much as I could, but more or less did not find a whole lot to touch upon, especially nothing that wasn't based on some motion control thing. The only thing I can see ruining the 3DS for me is the actual element of 3D gameplay, but it seems like they are trying to implement it in a very unobtrusive way. They have already bashed 3D glasses, which is a huge relief. I am not quite sure how it works yet, but I hope they manage to do it effectively.

I am going to update this specific entry periodically through the week to reflect changes as the come. I will hopefully slowly add pictures and video, but during the entirety of E3, this is going to be the only entry available on Loaded Cartridge. It's a big event, happens once a year, so I want to cover it as thoroughly as possible.

Stay tuned.

UPDATE: Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater announced for 3DS! Goddamn, this is becoming a little ridiculous.

MY E3 PREDICTIONS

That's right, you heard it here. If it comes true, consider me Nostradamus. If it doesn't, hang me by my balls and beat me to death with baseball bats...well, don't do that.

E3 is still happening, but I have a couple of predictions to make about the after-effects.

1. 3DS = WIN

The 3DS will sell, and it will sell BIG time. It will have an incredible launch, which will be exceeded only by the number of DSi consoles traded in so that new users can afford one. It will launch at a 200 dollars price point, as Nintendo has always striven to do. Kid Icarus and Pilotwings will be the two main launch titles. It will be nearly impossible to find one for the Christmas season, either this year, or next. A small child will be trampled to death in a Wal-Mart shopping lot by a horde of angry mothers.

2. The Fate of Kinect

Kinect will be in the limelight for a short period of time, but will ultimately be forced into a fairly prompt price drop due to a lack of sales. Software for Kinect will fly off the shelves in the beginning, but sales will quickly dwindle. Microsoft will continue to support it for a decent amount of time, intermittently releasing new software for it. A killer app will be released for Kinect which will do reasonably well, but which will not be as Earth shattering as everyone expected. Many games will utilize Kinect, but very few will do it effectively. It will continue to have a ho-hum reception, and barely break even until the market is saturated, at which point Microsoft will announce a successor to the 360, when it will then be completely forgotten about. The new console will have 3D effects, will be considerably expensive but with high graphics capabilities, and will have Kinect technology built into the system from the get go. It will be a High Definition Wii which will further attempt to appeal to a jaded market.

3. The Fate of Sony Move

The Sony Move will moderately well upon the release of Socom 4. Sony will attempt to push the hell out of it, making most of their new games compatible with the peripheral. This will largely yield mixed results, though the peripheral will costly regardless of it's success. It will certainly sell, though it will not fare as well as expected, and will mainly be utilized as a pointer for browsing the internet. It will not be a massive bust, nor will it be a fantastic success; it will be akin to the PS2 DVD remote, and people everywhere will still continuing to use their free Dual Shock controllers which came with the system. Eventually, Sony will attempt a pack-in deal where you get a console, a game, and a Move, all at an affordable price. This will aid Sony in sales somewhat, and after a good run of that, they will enact a price drop. PS3 will live for a considerable amount of time before eventually announcing a console which will attempt to do almost exactly the same thing as Microsoft. They will be more aggressive at launch than usual in an attempt to make up for the slow launch of the PS3. And yes, their new system will of course, be 3D compatible, and largely based on downloads, with a 1 TB hard drive available at launch.

4. NBA Jam

NBA Jam will be the best game ever made, in all of history and time and the cosmos. It will single handedly destroy the video game market as we know it, and all other companies will stop releasing games in lieu of its greatness. Shigeru Miyamoto will quit Nintendo, and take his own life with a monkey wrench. President Barack Obama will announce it as the new law, and every home will be required to have a copy of it. Sony and Microsoft will cancel all plans for new consoles, and combine with Nintendo and EA into a new company, "NBA Jam CO." They will release a basketball shaped console called "THA JAM" and the only game it will be designed to play will be any and all future NBA Jam games. All gaming websites will reduce their genre listings down to one, which will be titled "Basketball", and which will list every NBA Jam game ever made. NBA Jam Tournament Edition for the Sega Genesis will become the most expensive game in history, and finding a single cartridge will cost upwards of two million dollars. Shaq will bid on a copy and lose, because nobody likes him and he has no money. Western Civilization will collapse as man invents a "Big Head Cheat Code" pill, which will give everyone elephantitis.

Emulation Can Suck It.

2010-06-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

It was sometime in 1995. My school had been introduced to the internet, in all of it's dial-up glory. Making games in QBasic was the rage, and Sim City 2000 and Warcraft were where it was at. Web browsing was awesome, and porno was plentiful. While we were being introduced to the birds and the bees, close ups of dual penetration and other disturbing sights were readily available. It was a crazy time, but the craziest was when a friend showed me a little program called Nesticle.

Back then, I didn't connect what that was referring too; all I knew, was that it was Nintendo games...on your computer! It was pretty wild stuff, and since I lived in a small town, the only access I had to video games was a small, local computer shop. And they didn't carry anything but old PC games for the most part. Whatever I had was what I had, and there was no real possibility to get anything more. The only retro game I remember seeing was a sealed copy of Dynamite Headdy for Genesis, selling for 80 dollars. Times were grim. So having the ability to download any game was absolutely priceless; as long as it would fit on a floppy disk. Plus you needed something called "Winzip" to use it, which I also had to download onto a floppy. But it was worth it.

Eventually, I would get the internet for myself, and the novelty would wear off. Emulation sites were plentiful, and you could download and play any game you wanted. It became pretty common where I lived, and everyone was boasting a sizeable collection of games for their virtual SNES, NES, and Genesis. Eventually, I sort of stopped caring, and when we moved to Calgary, I would kind of drop it all together. It just wasn't fascinating anymore, and hell, I owned a Playstation and a Dreamcast. What the hell did I need those old games for anyways?

Speaking of Dreamcast, what a scene for that system! The vast amount of emulators available for just about anything you could think of were a godsend, and once again, I became interested in retro gaming. It all started when someone managed to hack the Sega Smash Pack collection emulator, and applied it to every game under the sun. I remember playing Sonic and M.U.S.H.A. for hours, regardless of the awful, awful sound emulation that was present. Once again, I would eventually tire of struggling to get some of my games to work. Countless graphical and sound glitches were a bitch, but the PC just wouldn't cut it anymore, either. There was something so brutally shitty about emulating on PC, something so fake and artificial that it wasn't even worth it. But surely, an emulator would have to come out for a console that was decent enough. I just had to wait a few more years.

In the mean time, I was fed up. I had since purged myself of any classic consoles, and was starting to feel the sting. I MISSED my Genesis, badly. My Mother didn't approve when I went out, bit the bullet, and picked up a dusty Sega for 15 bucks, with a copy of Sonic the Hedgehog and Ecco the Dolphin. But I didn't care, I had to scratch the itch. The only game I would buy after that was Toejam and Earl, for 35 bucks at a pawn shop. Again, one of my favorite games, and totally worth it. Eventually, due to shitty RF video and a bad power supply, I'd shove that thing in the closet once again, where it would be forgotten...but not lost.

I moved out of my place, and right about the time the Wii came out, I was in a pawn shop searching for cheap games. Lo and behold, I found a gem; a Sega Mega Drive 2, with two Japanese controllers, and...what's this? A composite A/V cable? Holy shit! I didn't know a single person who had one of these for their Sega's, and being highly ignorant about picture quality, I thought they were the BEST. I mean, they made my Playstation look so damn good, right? I snatched it up quick, along with a copy of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and Ecco the Dolphin: The Tides of Time. I was ecstatic.

Plugged it in, played some Sonic, and went ahead to try Tides of Time...shit. It was region locked. I couldn't play certain games on it, if they were released after '93. What a bummer. But it wasn't a big deal...I had no intention to collect for it, anyways. I just wanted to play a few games. My old Genesis had crapped out on me, which is another reason why I bought the Mega Drive, but how was I going to get my Ecco 2 fix?

That was when I discovered Ebay. I had never used it before, hearing all kinds of horror stories, but now was the time. I looked up "Ecco 2 Japanese", and found a copy of Tides of Time for dirt cheap; 20 bucks including shipping, and it would play on my Mega Drive. Not a bad deal. While I was at it, I snatched up a Japanese version of Gunstar Heroes. And it happened to be cheaper than the US version! Pretty cool.

Now the thing is, I could have emulated. It would have been easier. But nothing, I mean NOTHING could match playing these games on the original hardware. While on original hardware, there was nothing to complain about. No strange sound glitches, no graphical errors, and best of all, you used the original controllers. I quickly fell back in love with dedicated hardware, and eventually, I would pick up a Genesis 3 with five games, after which point my collection would spiral out of control. Wii emulators were now readily available, and damn good to boot, but once again; I didn't even bother with them anymore. I had the real hardware, the real carts; the real fun. When I started to get into the Neo Geo, I once again delved into emulators a little bit, but was largely disenchanted with them. I would eventually resign to picking up the AES Home System, and more recently, an actual MVS cab. Costly? Yes. But I have no regrets. An emulator is just that; an emulator. It is not, nor will it ever be, the real thing.

There are plenty of strong arguments as to why emulators are a good thing, and I agree that they are. But for some, like myself, they are really nothing more than a gateway into collecting. I think this is a positive thing. If a young kid who is used to Halo and Modern Warfare decides he wants to see what games used to be like, and subsequently downloads an emulator and some games in order to find out, it is my hope that his curiosity will be peaked, and that he will want to know what the hardware was like, as well. I get a great deal of satisfaction by popping a cart into one of my ancient consoles, firing it up, and sitting down in front of my TV to play it. The next generation of gamers, I hope, will want to experience the same thing; problems and all.

Emulation certainly has a role to play in the preservation of classic games, and it is here to stay; the only difference is that now, companies are charging you for it. And they have a right to do so! But if you are going to pay for the games anyways, what is stopping you from spending a little more, and investing in the real thing? A real piece of hardware which you can have on your shelf and enjoy. Back in the day, especially where I lived, it was impossible to have this, as you simply couldn't buy them anywhere. But times are different, and with the ease of online transactions, it's no large chore to simply order those games you love so much, to have the satisfaction of cracking open those clam shell cases again for the first time; to play them the way they were meant to be played, right from the get go.

You can emulate hardware and software, but nothing can emulate the feeling of mashing down on that clicky C button for the billionth time while it is plugged into a piece of hardware circa 1989. It's an unbeatable feeling, and I am glad there are so many people out there who are dedicated to preserving that.

Mortal Kombat Movie? Chakan, Sonic 3, Lightening Force Reviews.

2010-06-09T10:12:00.000-07:00

So there is a trailer floating around for a new Mortal Kombat...something or other.

It looks like a long movie trailer for some kind of franchise reinvention, but coming so close to E3, it's possibly a trailer for a new type of Mortal Kombat game. Many sources however are saying that it is from an actual upcoming movie, and word about a new MK movie suggests the same.

It's a bit strange to take a well known video game franchise, and reinvent it into a movie like this. It has a really gritty tone and feel, almost like a Saw movie, and in my opinion does some neat things with the characters. Resident head-eating ninja Reptile is now a harlequin baby gone wrong who collects and munches the heads of his victims. Baraka is a psychopath with sharpened teeth and blade physically mounted to his body. They are trying to add some element of realism to the franchise it seems, a direction which many are complaining about. But here is the kicker for me; Mortal Kombat has always been about edgy violence. It was notorious back in it's glory days, to the point where stores would even pull the game off the shelves. But we have come a long way since then, and the original Mortal Kombat seems pretty timid in comparison to the violence we are subjected to in video games today. There was a lighthearted kind of silliness in the games and the universe, to be sure, and that most certainly is not very present here. But it's still Mortal Kombat, you still have many of the same characters, and there is ENOUGH of a campy feeling in the trailer in my opinion, so that the original tone doesn't get completely stomped on. We don't get to see any of the actual tournament, but we know that Jax and Sonya have hired Scorpion to join the tournament, and to kill the psycopaths Baraka and Reptile, among others. They mention Sub-Zero as well, and even Scorpion's famous "Get Over Here!" line is present.

It's an interested direction, but I am more interested to see what medium it is going to be applied to. It looks just a tad TOO corny to be an actual movie trailer, although it does have some pretty nice visual effects and star power, much more than any fan trailer of this kind. It is definitely for something substantial, and I can't wait until they confirm what it is all about.

On another note, I hooked up my Genesis last night and sat down with a few games. I have been focusing on newer stuff in my reviews lately, such as Mario Galaxy and Monster Hunter, but I thought I would take a step back and complete three little "mini" reviews for your enjoyment. I am trying to get back into the swing of things, since I have been babbling a lot about my own adventures in arcade machine ownership, but I do have better stuff planned for the near future.

CHAKAN

An acquaintance of mine shared his thoughts on this game awhile ago, and I felt he did a pretty good job of capturing his own nostalgic feelings towards the game. For those not in the know, Chakan was an action adventure game produced by Ed Annunziata, former head of Novotrade International, and more recently AndNow. It was released by Sega of America, and based on a comic book by Robert A. Kraus.

In Chakan, you are The Forever Man; a man who was granted immortality by Death. Turns out for Chakan, that immortal life is not all it is cracked up to be. So Chakan goes on a quest to destroy evil, and once evil has been purged, Death will grant Chakan his final respite.

I sat down with the game last night for the first time in years, and realized how insanely difficult it is. It's pretty standard action fare, with the interesting implementation of a hub world. You can tackle the stages in any order you like, but they all have their difficulties, and many will quickly throw the controller down in disgust because of this. These old games were not made for the weak of heart, which is exactly why they are appealing. To be truthful, I gave up pretty quickly. I simply didn't have the time to invest that much effort, but I was impressed by the controls and the magic system. You can swing your swords in any direction which is cool, and because of these attacks, it really feels ahead of it's time. Chakan is a lot of fun to control, and the stages are very challenging, and utilize the full range of your attacks.

One thing Chakan is well known for is not having an ending. Once you finish the game, after the credits role, you are treated to one last boss. Should you fail, it is game over, and you have to play the game all over again. Should you succeed, you are essentially treated to an endless, empty screen, with nothing but an hourglass on it. No real ending was implemented. To me, this is not much of a downer; Chakan is doomed right from the start, and even at the end once he attempts to kill himself after purging evil, Death explains that Chakan has to essentially destroy all the evil in the universe before he can actually die. Pretty specific and definitive, so even if Chakan did manage to kill that final boss, he would presumably still be doomed to an eternity of battle regardless. A bit of a kick in the balls, but that nihilistic, hopeless outcome is sort of what makes Chakan unique in my opinion.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3

Now, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was actually split into two parts, so when I say Sonic 3, I am referring to Sonic 3 and Knuckles; the complete version of the game. Due to long production times, they essentially cut the game in half, and released Sonic and Knuckles later on, which was the second half of Sonic 3. With some very unique technology, you could literally plug one game into the other, and play the full, definitive game. This is why I think it is incomplete, and even unfair to refer to the games separately at all; it is just ONE game, which they basically screwed up, and I would give anything to see them combined on one complete cartridge. It's a shame to have some ugly tower sticking out of my Sega in order for me to play one game.

Sonic 3 is amazing, and massive. You can play through the game with three different characters; Tails, Knuckles, or Sonic, and because of many multiple paths to get through the game, there is a lot to see which you will never be able to reveal if you only play through with Sonic alone. You have a whopping 14 emeralds to collect this time around, and 13 Zones to complete, the last of which is only available after collecting 7 of the Chaos Emeralds, and while playing as Sonic. It is really an enormous game, and I have honestly never spent the time with it which I should have. I never owned both cartridges as a kid, so I was restricted to playing the first half of Sonic 3; but as a Genesis owner, this is a must have.

The game glitched up on me a bunch last night, which brings me to an important tip for any retro game collector; CLEAN YOUR CARTRIDGES. That infamous blowing on carts is rendered obsolete with a bit of alcohol and some cotton swabs. After cleaning my carts thoroughly, the freezing stopped, and I was able to continue as usual. This is extremely important, especially with NES games, where the pin connectors are likely loose from years of aggressive play time. If you are blowing on your games, you are doing it wrong, wrong, WRONG. Cleaning them properly can fix a number of problems. In certain systems, like the Neo Geo MVS, this is even more important, as neglecting to do so can cause a variety of graphical and sound glitches. Keep your contacts on both your pins and your board clean as hell.

After getting away from the glitches, I advanced about half way through the first part. It is still as fun and fast as ever, and as nostalgic as I am for the first and second games in the series, I have to admit that the complete version of Sonic 3 IS the best game out of the lot. The mix of platforming and speed is just right, and was never perfected again later on. It is the perfect Sonic game, and one of the best platforming games ever made, in my opinion.

LIGHTENING FORCE

Also known as Thunder Force IV, this is a horizontal shoot-em-up game with a ton of fantastic graphics, excellent music, and an extremely wide range of movement which does not restrict you to only one screen. I can easily say it is the best shooter on the Sega Genesis, even when compared to classics such as M.U.S.H.A, which I would consider one of my top five favorite Genny games of all time.

I don't have a lot to say about it, except that it is a masterpiece. You fly, you shoot everything in sight, and you get to pick the order of your levels. The bosses are huge, the sounds kick ass, and the game is extremely fast paced, never letting up for a second. It is tremendously difficult when you first start playing, and takes a bit of time getting used to. The only real complaint I have is the slowdown, which can make the game pretty sluggish with all of the detailed stuff going on on screen. Many Genesis games suffered from some slowdown, but with a bit of know-how, you could probably overclock your Genesis to alleviate this, if you chose to do so. Regardless, it is a fine game, and belongs in the library of any shooter fan.

That's about it for now. I would like to go into more detail with these things later on, but I thought I would give you a quick update on what I have been playing recently. If you haven't tried the aforementioned titles, I suggest you give them a shot, though I would recommend staying away from Chakan if you are opposed to frustrating, difficult games. I happened to get the game for free, which was pretty nice, thanks to a forum member over at Sega-16. The price was definitely right.

Busy, Busy.

2010-06-08T08:13:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have been really busy. At home, at work, and all around. Usually I get most of my writing done at work, but since I have had actual, real work to get done lately, it has been delayed. I was planning on finishing up the CGR article and posting it, but Blogger was down for me. And now, I have to bust ass around town, but I will still try to get it done. The biggest pain in the neck was getting my arcade cabinet. This happened a few days ago, and took a lot of effort. The thing weighs almost 400 pounds, and there were two of us pulling it up two sets of stairs; not a lot of fun.

Upon turning it on, I noted it had quite a few problems. The games were all scrambled, sound was funky and bad, the colors were not right, and a few other things were a mess. When you open these up, it is a daunting experience, and they seem endlessly complicated. The MVS motherboard itself is tricky, because it is two circuit boards stacked on top of each other. With the help of my wife, we were able to figure it out, and determined there was no battery leakage, etc. After a good cleaning, the games worked fine, except for some minor problems. When I put the thing in test mode, I noticed the 1 Player button and one of the other buttons were not working. So I cleaned the MVS harness which plugs into the mobo, and everything was fine with the 1 Player button. With the D button, it was a broken microswitch, which I had to wait to get fixed. In the meantime, I dicked around with monitor color settings until I found something half decent, but there was quite a bit of interference with one of the games. Quickly determined that a broken light was what caused the inteference, so I took out the marquee board on top of the machine entirely, and that solved the problem.

The fellow I met at the auction came over to show me the ropes. He helped to adjust the monitor, and we got it looking beautiful. We also installed a new microswitch and fixed that faulty button. And the coup de grace was when he installed coin mechanisms. I turned all the dip switches to their default positions, and now you need to physically put in a quarter to play the games! I cool little addition that everyone seems to think is pretty neat. The coin mechs themselves need new light bulbs, and one of my speakers is a little off, but everything else is working FANTASTICALLY. I got it for a really good price, though there were quite a few hours involved in getting it up to snuff, simply because this is my first arcade cab.

So as you can see, I have been pretty occupied. I am now selling off a major part of my collection to recoup the costs, including my Neo Geo AES. It is a necessary evil, unfortunately. This blog has been a little slow due to my recent hobby, not to mention general house cleaning and organizing which my wife and I have undergone, but I hope to be back in shape soon. I am broke, I am tired, and I am dusty because of this thing. But to pop in a coin and play a match in Fatal Fury is a feeling which can NEVER be emulated. I really do understand why really hardcore people decry emulators and roms in general now. But I also understand why every true hobbyist I have ever known is a broke schmuck, because I am now one too.

This Is The End...

2010-06-02T10:14:00.000-07:00

No, not of the blog, I'm not going through that again.

I have been really busy with work, and making transactions which are sure to break my bank. I complained about losing an auction for an MVS coin-op in my last entry. Surprisingly enough, the gentleman who won the cab ended up finding me through my blog by pure coincidence. We made a deal, and I am picking the cab up tomorrow! It is going to be a heck of a restore project, but it is an original MVS cab. I could have purchased one in better shape, but shipping would have killed me. They say you always pay too much for your first one, but these things seem scarce, hard to come by. Plus, it's already loaded with 4 games, so I don't have much reason to complain.

What's truly over is my collection. I did some song and dance about that a couple of entries ago, but I mean it this time. I bought this cab for one reason; to play makeover on it. I really want this to look like it was brand new out of the factory when I'm done with it. I already have a huge shit list of things I need to do to restore it, and in all honesty, it will likely be gutted during the entirety of it's stay in my place. Here is a short list of the things I plan to do with it over the next couple of years.

-Replace the plexi glass
-Either re-cap, or buy a new monitor
-Replace the sound processor
-Replace or repair the speakers
-Remove, strip, and repaint and decal the front panel
-Replace the joysticks, and buttons
-Replace the monitor border
-Add LED lighting to the marquees at the top of the machine
-Strip the vinyl, sand, repaint, and decal the sides of the machine
-Thorough clean of the motherboard and carts
-Replace the BIOS chip with a Universe BIOS
-Replace the coin mechanisms
-Possible replacement of power supply, due to age

Now, this sounds like a lot, and it is. But that is what I'm getting at. Rather than continuing to spend time and money collecting random cartridges and what not, I want to invest my efforts into this restoration. The results I hope to yield will be far more rewarding than simply dropping tons of cash on new junk I don't really need. I am, very sadly, selling my Neo Geo AES to recoup the costs of the cab. If anyone is interested, I would be willing to cut you a good deal, but keep in mind, the thing WILL cost you. It wasn't exactly cheap, and there is a cart or two I payed over a hundred bucks for. But I need the money, so if you want, let me know.

I have the Classic Game Room article sitting under my belt, but I have been so busy with all of this bullshit, I haven't had any time to proofread and polish it up. I pick up the cab tomorrow, and once that is out of the way, it won't really matter what I do. I am not looking forward to lugging 375 pounds of wood and monitor up a flight of concrete steps, but a man has to do what a mans gotta do. Once this thing is in my house and I am rockin Fatal Fury and Puzzle Bobble, I won't give a damn how hard it was to get it in, afterall.

So looking good, very excited about this. But this is the beginning of the end of my console collection. I officially own any and every game I have ever really given a damn about, and I have so much sitting on to play through and review, it could fuel this blog for the next ten years. I plan to get back into regular postings once "Big Red" is all nice and in the corner, and I am going to start a sister blog, called Loaded Coin-Op which will exclusively cover my extensive restoration of the cab. There are things I cannot do with it until we move into a place with a basement, so some stuff will have to wait. I am just getting into the arcade community after being part of the console one for so long, so I still have a lot to learn.

In the meantime, here is a picture of the exact model cab I am getting, pulled from HardMVS.com

Oh yeah, baby.

The One That Got Away, And Learning Japanese

2010-05-29T15:40:00.000-07:00

I went to an auction this morning after seeing an ad on Kijiji for a 4-Slot MVS Dedicated Neo Geo Cabinet. I was ecastatic; the auction was out of the way, it seemed likely that few would be there. I couldn't wait.

I got there and saw a long row of arcade cabs, which really brought me back; you don't see that very often, maybe the odd bar or bus station. And right in the middle of it all, was a lone Neo Geo cab, just waiting to be played.

Now, Neo cabs are apparently not all that rare in the wild. The reason I wanted it, was because I thought I could get it cheap. I met a nice fella who played a few games of Puzzle Bobble with me while we waited for the auction to start. It had been advertised as a 4-Slot with just the one game, but it also had Super Sidekicks 2, Samurai Showdown, and Fatal Fury 2. Not fantastically rare games, but in total, quite a good value. The cab itself was certainly a fixer upper; the MVS slots needed to badly be cleaned, as well as the contacts on the carts. Some serious graphic deterioration was going on, but it looked fixable. Sound was a different beast altogether, as there was definitely something funky going on there. The screen was cracked in a few places, and was not made of plexiglass. The coin mechanism had since broken, and it looks like the bottom half of the cab had been repainted at some point. It DID have a memory card slot, and two headphone jacks, which is downright fucking awesome, but it would have taken some serious restoration to get it going nicely, as well as a cap replacement for the monitor.

Now, I didn't win, as I'm sure you have already gathered. I man bought it for his son, but I don't think he knew what he was getting into. Not a big deal. I offered him my AES console and all of the games, a screaming good deal, because I wanted the thing so badly. When he refused, I slunk off to the casino and lost twenty bucks in the machine. Then, I read that Dennis Hopper died while on my iPhone eating chicken wings. Then, I found out my favorite flea market was shutting down. Plus, it was raining and snowing out. Yikes.

I dropped off at the flea market, where I know a guy who sells retro games and toys. He was pretty low on stock, and wasn't sure where he would be moving too, so I broke my oath, and cleaned him out of his last rare stock; two Super Famicom titles, Dragon Quest 1 and 2, and Draqon Quest 3. The games are obviously not in English, but were in perfect shape. Which brings me to my next point.

In order to enjoy gaming too it's fullest, it seems wise to be multilingual. I am not huge into the anime or Japanese culture, but I have learned quite a bit about it by proxy, as gaming is largely concerned with Japanese style for the most part. There are a shitload of games I would love to play which have never been localized, so I thought to myself, why the hell don't I just go ahead and learn the language? I have always wanted to anyways, and I know enough to sit and watch a TV show and have a vague understanding of what is going on. I have learned to read katakana and hirigana in the past, at least marginally. So that is my current goal right now, and having a simple game like Dragon Quest in my library will be a big help.

As for the fabled MVS? Kind of glad I didn't win it in a way. I have already looked up and located MVS machines for sale in much better shape, and these Candy Cabs everyone keeps talking about look more like what I want in my home. This cab was a "big red", and big it was; looking now, I doubt I'd have had the space for it. It was the one which got away, but I know the direction I now want to take. If I ever have a basement, I'll be the multi-cab kind of guy. I need at least a Neo cab, a Pac-Man and a Ms. Pac-Man to truly be satisfied, and all three of those seem relatively common. Most of the ten or twelve cabs at that auction literally sold for 50 bucks! And they will likely be restored and turned around for five times that price. I have been largely ignorant of the arcade community, being so focused on consoles, but it is definitely where I want to end up going.

No major update, and no flashiness. The CGR article I wrote is stuck on my laptop at work, so it will have to wait until Monday. Look forward to it!

No More Games!

2010-05-26T09:47:00.001-07:00

I have been writing about, reviewing, and playing a lot of games lately. Loaded Cartridge has taken a bit of a back seat simply because I have TOO MUCH to play right now.

The problem isn't so much my original collection, it is how much I have added to it in the past few months. I have an insane amount of junk coming from the post office, and I have realized it's time to but an end to my reign of terror, to STOP BUYING GAMES. It's tough when you are a collector; anything you see, especially if it is a good deal, must be had. You need to set careful limitations lest you get ahead of yourself and become broke. You need to be very cautious.

I had one last pending purchase from a couple of weeks ago that I completed today, and I have decided to call it quits for awhile. I can't really think of anything coming out in the near future that I really care about anyways, as Mario Galaxy 2 was on my waiting list for the past couple of months. You can expect some thorough reviews of classic titles, including a few you have never heard of before. I recently had the good luck to snag reproduction copies of Shin Megami Tensei 1 and 2 for the Super Nintendo, translated in English, completing the four game set. (SMT 1, 2, Nocturne, Strange Journey.) A full writeup on the Shin Megaten series, and why I think you need to go and play it right now, is currently in the works. I also have some old PS1 games on the way, a couple of classic Sega Genesis games, and two Neo Geo games, one of which is fairly rare, and a real treat at that. I also made the best trade of my life; an Atari Jaguar for a Super Nintendo. Can you guess which one I am waiting for? Well, it isn't the Jaguar, which is quite possibly the absolute worst video game system I have ever touched in my life, for multiple reasons which I will not go into here.

The Classic Game Room article is nearly finished! Mark Bussler himself was kind enough to answer my questions, and I will be posting that up before the end of the week. This post itself may seem a bit pointless, but I find it easier to set a plan in action if I post publicly about it. So, no more games! I haven't determined the amount of time or anything, but with everything that is now in my collection, I am for once, quite satisfied. I really don't feel like collecting anymore right now. Eventually, I'd like to post pictures of my own collection so that you can get a glimpse into my overwhelming power tripping madness, but I want to wait a few weeks until everything else comes in.

I think I like the chase more than the catch, for one thing. It is fun to track down oddities, like my elusive Alien Soldier cartridge, or M.U.S.H.A. It also costs an arm and a leg, and though I am blessed with not having a single up to date, relevant console in my home apart from the Wii, which I only buy a couple of games for a year, it is still tough to keep up. There are so many games from days of old, and so many more to come. You need to be picky, you need to choose not only the right games, but the right consoles, as well. Certain things I regret, like the Jaguar, while others, like the Neo-Geo, are amongst my most prized possessions. But there is more to life than just immersing yourself in virtual fantasy worlds, and if don't take a step back every now and again, you might miss real life as it flashes before your eyes. I am working on a trip to Mexico later this year, as well as studying for a couple of courses I am taking, so I have a lot on my plate that doesn't include hitting the A button a bunch of times.

So, more articles throughout the next few weeks. I just wanted to take a moment to reflect on my own collecting craze, and offer a small warning to potential retro game fanatics out there. Those dusty carts and consoles seem cheap at first, and you will likely do anything to justify purchasing them. But everything comes with a price, and if you don't check yourself, you will wonder where the hell all of your money has gone too, and why in the hell you have three copies of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 lying around the house. Keep it nice and simple, collect only what you are actually going to play, and don't get ahead of yourself; this stuff may become harder to find as the years pass, but everything and everyone has a price. Don't be impatient; that's when you end up dropping 300 dollars on a sealed game you are just going to open up and play anyways. It is a challenging and rewarding hobby, but like anything else, it can take it's toll if it becomes too addictive.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 Review

2010-05-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

Gamefaqs Review Here.

I have been a fan of the Mario series since I was just barely old enough to see. It's strange that one of my earliest memories of existence is sitting in front of a small TV playing Nintendo games, and most prominently, facing up against King Koopa (which is what we knew him at, at the time.) in his castle, and being terribly frustrated when figured out that "the Princess is in another castle." The subsequent days playing and mastering the game, it's sequel, and many others after it were no less exciting. The second game was a cop out, being a simple sprite change of another game, but we didn't know that back then; it was just Mario 2 to us, and we loved it just as much as the first. When the third game came out, it absolutely blew us away, and seeing it at the center of the movie The Wizard, taught us how to cheat by finding the hidden flutes, and skipping to the very end of the game. When the Super Nintendo game out with Super Mario World, we were stunned yet again by the amazing improvement in the graphic, the elaborate characters on screen, and everything else about that game that made it incredible to play, even today. But we had no idea what was in store for Mario in the future, and yet again, it would floor us once we were finally able to set eyes on his next evolution.

Thrusting any video game series into the 3D realm after a life of the 2nd dimension is a very risky proposition. Platforming games were designed based on the prospect of 2D; you can only really move in four directions, and the best way to get a character there, is to make him jump up mysterious floating platforms. Scatter some enemies and hidden items, and you have the perfect formula for most of our games of old. It worked very well back then, and today, these games are still fun to play. So how do you deal with throwing full 360 degree motion into the mix? For the most part, some early efforts were highly disappointing. We would get our fair share of decent titles as well, but it wasn't until Super Mario 64 that we were able to sit back with our jaws on the floor, and mutter "wow." at the sheer scale of what was happening on screen. It was just like any other Mario game for the most part, but with full freedom of exploration. My friends and I would spend an ungodly amount of time running around the levels, trying to find secrets which were not there (LUIGI.) and just generally wasting time when we weren't trying to hunt out all of those 120 stars. It was a great time, and a great transition into the 3D realm, but could the success of that game really be repeated? Where could we go from there, besides copying the same style of game play?

Apparently, not very far.

When Super Mario Sunshine was released for the Gamecube, and relied on a somewhat gimmicky new element of game play where Mario was required to rely on a water pump to clean up the levels, no one was really stunned with amazement. It was absolutely a blast to play, but it didn't add anything new to the series, and it didn't have the wide variety of environments perhaps that it's predecessor did, relying largely on a tropical island theme in terms of it's art direction and general style. It was fun, it was Mario, and it was in 3D, but there was no way it could compare to Mario 64; the concept simply wasn't new anymore, and many hundreds of games after the first 3D Mario did nothing but follow in it's footsteps. We were so sick and tired of 3D platformers by then, that it was simply forgotten almost as soon as it appeared. It was a fantastic performer, a decent Mario, but hardly enough to catch our attention at the time.

But how do you stay fresh, new, and exciting, when just about everything seems to have been done? What could the next step possibly be? Our questions were answered when Super Mario Galaxy hit the Nintendo Wii. It was largely the same style as other 3D Mario games before it, but with several very important elements which made it stand out from the crowd. Whenever I think of Super Mario Galaxy, the original 2D games immediately come to mind. Even though it takes place in a completely 3D world, it take the formula and hones it down to such a fine point, that it is impossible to find any flaws on it's surface. It was 2D platforming in a 3D realm, with some incredibly intuitive game mechanics, and the new element of a gravitational field in place which fortunately, happened to enhance the game play a great deal, and was not gimmicky in any way shape or form. It was exactly what Mario should have been all along, and in many ways, it surpassed the insurmountable force that was Super Mario 64. Many nostalgic gamers will disagree with this statement, but regardless, Super Mario Galaxy was a huge leap in the right direction; it managed to refresh the Mario series not by adding a slew of new, untested elements, but by relying on old ones; simple but challenging platforming game play. It was about as perfect as it was going to get, and it's hard to imagine where the series will go from here; but if Super Mario Galaxy 2 is any indication, Mario is hopefully in for continued success, as this game is essentially the Stradivarius of Mario games; legendary, and seemingly insurmountable.

GAMEPLAY | 10/10

If people are expecting a massive change in game play compared to the first game, they will be severely disappointed. This is very much more of the same in that respect, but for fans of the original game, that is nothing to miffed about. What Super Mario Galaxy 2 does, is it takes the first game, and sharpens it up to the nth degree. Everything you knew and loved about the first game is improved, and it makes even more of an attempt to stay true to the series 2D platforming roots. You get a little less story, you get a little less mindless exploration between levels and in this way, it comes even closer to emulating the traditional games than it ever has. There is a much wider variety in the types of levels you will be exploring, though the art direction is identical to the first game; small isolated pockets of lush, brightly colored land hanging around in the middle of a beautiful, starlit sky. These planetoids are of varying sizes and shapes, some letting you run around their entire surface regardless of direction, where others will plunge you into the abyss should you miss a tricky jump to the other side. Game play is handled well regardless of where you are, and depending on the style of platform you are navigating, different elements of the game will be present. Sometimes you might need to drill through a planet to the other side to complete certain puzzles, sometimes you might need to use gravity to swing yourself to another area, or more traditionally, sometimes it's a matter of endless hopping in order to ascend from one platform to the next while avoiding enemies and pitfalls. Boredom will never set in as you witness the massive variety the game has to offer, and with the added elements of Yoshi, new Mario suits, and a traditional World Map, you will feel right at home even if you have not picked up a Mario game since the early nineties. Throw in some beautiful and sometimes tricky boss battles, and you have a formula that could easily span an entire series of games. Any complaints about this being a simple clone of Super Mario Galaxy are laid to rest when you pick it up, start playing, and realize you are having just as much fun as the first time you ever laid hands on a Nintendo controller.

GRAPHICS | 9.5/10

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the best looking game on the Wii, and although it isn't much of an advancement over the first game, it certainly feels more polished, and the wide variety of environments presented here makes it stand out above any other game on the console. It is a gorgeous feast for the eyes which will absolutely not disappoint, and though it is on a system which lacks high definition support, it is comparable to many games from it's rival systems, if simply for the amount of colors on screen at any given time alone. Menus are clean, simple, and effective, and the interface is incredibly straightforward and simple, never getting in the way of the game play. It is a little depressing to imagine what this game might look like in 1080p, but it's got it where it counts. Essentially, if you have seen Super Mario Galaxy in action, you likely won't be any more or less impressed with this one. But then, the last thing on your mind will be the graphics when you begin to realize how incredible the game play is. It looks very nice, especially with a component cable, and you owe it to yourself to play this in the highest definition that you possibly can. For the Wii, it is quite a technical feat, but we aren't seeing much here which hasn't already been done before, either.

SOUND | 9.5/10

The reason I am scoring graphics and sound so high, is because they really do deserve it. This is the best the Wii is going to get, and I only cut a half point simply for lack of substantial improvement; this will not affect the overall score.

Speaking of which; The sweeping orchestral score, the right amount of cutesy sound effects without border lining on being irritating; it is all perfect for a Mario game, and I think, about as good as it is ever going to get. Once again, much like the first Super Mario Galaxy, we are not seeing anything revolutionary, but what is being presented to us is simply more polished, more perfect. Many of the tunes are catchy, and the entire score is a major throwback to the first Mario Galaxy. But some more familiar elements of sound, such as the jungle beat whenever Yoshi is being ridden, are nice little touches, the kind we have come to expect and love from the series. Everything is crisp, clear, and wonderful, and this is one game you will definitely want to keep your volume up for when playing.

REPLAYABILITY | 10/10

With an improved 2 Player mode, a MASSIVE number of stars to collect and secrets to uncover along with the simple joy which comes through exploring the multitude of levels, this is one game you will not be finished with quickly. To give you an idea of the length to expect, my first two hours of game play consisted of beating the first world, and collecting about ten stars. With six worlds (plus a secret seventh world) to explore, 241 (!) stars to collect, and the ability to play as Luigi thrown into the mix, this is a true sandbox platformer which will take a long time to fully complete. It is very likely the longest Mario game ever made, and is truly a masterpiece in this respect. I don't think it could have gone much further than this. People may whine about the multilayer mode, how the second player essentially acts as a glorified pointer, but the game simply was not designed for multiple players anyways. If you want a multiplayer Mario fix, there is still New Super Mario Bros for the Wii to consider. But if you want the best single player platforming experience you have ever seen in your life, you will not be disappointed.

OVERALL | 10

This is, quite literally, a perfect gaming experience. It is the ultimate culmination of everything we have come to learn and love about video games, all in a single package. There are going to be counter-active reviews in the future from sour minded folks who simply can't cope with the fact that a video game could actually come along, and be this categorically excellent in everything it attempts to do, but these folks will very simply be wrong. I could see new gamers perhaps not enjoying this game to the fullest extent, having been jaded by the current slew of multiplayer kill fests which now saturate the video game market, but as a person who has been gaming for over twenty years, I can honestly say this ranks up there with the best of the best, regardless of genre. It is indisputably, undeniably, a perfect gaming experience, and a must-play for any self-respecting gamer who knows what the word "fun" means...or perhaps who has simply forgotten, and who needs a reminder of why we played video games back then, and why we will keep playing them in the future.

Also, if you do not know how to play Mario by now, here is a nifty tutorial video on how to play Mario Galaxy 2 from the good folks over at Mega 64

Happy Birthday, Pac-Man!

2010-05-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

Yes, that is right. 30 years ago exactly, on May 22 of 1980, Pac-Man was introduced in arcades around Japan. Of course, he was known as Puck-Man over there, and if it weren't so incredibly close to an English swear word of ours, it would have been the same when we were introduced to the yellow dot eating munchkin; when Pac-Man fever spread across North America.

Pac-Man is my favorite video game, without question. There is something so diabolically addicting about it, something that brings me back for repeated playthroughs on a regular basis. If I could afford it, I would buy a Pac-Man arcade machine. For now, I own a homebrew Colecovision port of Pac-Man which exactly emulates the arcade version. But I am not the only one celebrating this momentous occasion; Google is too, and for a limited time, you can play an altered version of Pac-Man right above the search box on their website! Pretty damn nifty.

I took a snapshot of the end of my first game. I can't play it on the computer I am using, because some wierd memory leak problem makes the game become ridiculously slow over time. But it was fun while it lasted.

I could really go on forever about how much I like Pac-Man, but I am saving that for a later date. The truth is, I didn't even know it was the 30th Anniversary until I hit Google this morning. Shame on me perhaps, but I don't have an article ready. I kept the Mega Man review I did up for so long simply because it was a tough piece to do, and I wanted people to check it out incase it faded into obscurity later on. But there are other things to look forward too soon, and an article about Pac-Man will intevitably be one of them.

The Classic Game Room review and interview is still underway. You will be hearing more about that soon.

For now, what the hell are you doing here? Go and celebrate, play some Pac-Man!

Waka waka!

Mega Man Film, And An Interview With Dr. Wily (David Maulbeck)

2010-05-17T19:00:00.000-07:00

We have been treated to some pretty god-awful film representations of our favorite video games over the years. When I was young, and my favorite film up to that point was The Land Before Time, I didn’t have very...well, particular standards for cinema and had a hard time differentiating between good films and bad ones. (Although admittedly, that was a kick ass movie.) So when my parents took me to see Super Mario Bros. starring Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, and Dennis Hopper, I didn’t think it was all that bad. It was pretty cool to see my favorite video game translated into a film, even though ninety percent of what was happening on-screen was non-sensical bullshit which had absolutely nothing to do with the games.

As I got a little older however, the movie became enjoyable for a completely different reason. I was no longer immersed in the imaginative world of the film, but rather amused by its insanity. It became more ironic as I watched it, and the more I see it, the funnier it gets. As I have explained to friends in the past, it is not the sort of film you can sit down and watch alone. You absolutely need to have a room full of people present for it to transition from a lonely, suicide-ready evening, into a laugh riot with your buddies. Sitting down and watching Mario Bros. and Mortal Kombat with some friends made me laugh harder than anything else, to the point where my jaw actually hurt and I had to go home. It was hysterical.

But why does it have to be this way? Why in the hell is it so difficult to create a video game film that isn’t a complete pile of crap? We have the upcoming Prince of Persia to look forward to, but it is anyone's business how that will turn out. It certainly looks decent enough, but we have been fooled so many times in the past, it is hard to have faith in these translations. On the the one end of the spectrum, we have big-time Hollywood directors and producers looking for new ways to cash in on the gaming craze. On the other hand, there are small, dedicated groups of fans attempting to create their own image of what video game movie should look like, and even under the extreme budget and production constraints in which they are forced to work with, we are beginning to see some great material, the best of which I have witnessed so far being the Mega Man movie.

Mega Man was written and directed by Eddie Lebron, produced by Solarsystems Studios and released on May 7, 2010 on the video game website Screw Attack. It is a full feature-length film clocking in at around 93 minutes, and the storyline is based on the original Mega Man for the Nintendo Entertainment System, released in 1987, called Rockman for its release on the Nintendo Famicom in Japan. The game was originally developed by Capcom, and the character of Mega Man was created by Keiji Inafune, current head of Research and Development for Capcom.

The major difference you will notice between this and other video game films, is the fact that it follows the story of the original game exactly. The first thing most directors do when they get their hands on a license is take a shit on it, tear it to bits, and build back from the ground up. It is certainly one of the more frustrating elements of these films, and much of the time, is completely unnecessary. What is the point of arduously retooling fantastic source material if it already exists? Sometimes it is necessary to expand on certain elements, but to create a brand new story in lieu of a perfectly good one is something I will never understand. With Mega Man, simplicity is key. There is something of an internal struggle with Mega Man's character, being a robot and all, but the premise is downright simple; an evil genius steals some robots, and the one remaining robot has to suit up and take them out. Here is the synopsis as per Wikipedia, explaining the basics of the first Mega Man game.

“In the story behind the original series, Rock is a robot created as a lab assistant by the scientist Dr. Thomas Light; following treachery by Dr. Wily, Rock was converted into a fighting robot to defend the world from Wily's violent robotic threats. Thus he becomes Mega Man (Rockman in the Japanese original).”

Not a whole lot there, and thankfully, the Mega Man film keeps the entire thing intact. It expands where it needs too, and we even get to meet a character or two before they were officially introduced to the series, but the basics remain the same. Sticking to the source material helps the film to stay nice and simple, while still creating enough of a conflict that you actually want to see Mega Man succeed in his mission, and stop the six Robot Masters. Here is a rundown of the film.
The movie starts out slow, but for good reason. We are introduced to each character individually, beginning with Dr. Light and Roll, and moving on to Dr. Wily, the Robot Masters, and eventually Rock and Blues. Dr. Light, played by Edward X. Young, is a subdued scientist with a calm demeanor and a friendly personality, while his partner Dr. Wily is easily frustrated, irritable, and eccentric. Both of them are brilliant scientists who have dedicated their lives to the production of their android creations, with Dr. Wily playing a pivotal role in the physical construction of the robots. We are introduced to Roll early on as well, a bubbly blonde android girl created by Dr. Light in the likeness of his deceased wife; a robot with no real purpose except to comfort the lonely doctor.

Megaman teleports in after NOT being raped by Uwe Boll.

During a news interview, Dr. Light introduces his six Robot Masters. They are Gutsman, Bombman, Cutman, Elecman, Iceman, and Fireman, and all of them serve a purpose in aiding man, by being able to complete jobs that are too dangerous for human hands. Dr. Wily frequently interrupts Dr. Light in an attempt to gain the spotlight, feeling that his work should be recognized, while a humble Dr. Light explains that his work is for the benefit of mankind, and that any other purpose would be unethical.

When the interview is over, Dr. Light explains to Dr. Wily that he wishes to create another android. Dr. Wily is infuriated by this concept, as they had just finished the Robot Master series, and accused Dr. Light of being incapable of producing an android of his own after he is dismissed from the project. Dr. Light makes mention of the prototype android who escaped from the lab, saying that he has learned from his mistakes. Dr. Wily tells Dr. Light that he will no longer be ignored, and storms out of the lab.

The rest of the movie falls into place rather quickly after the introduction. Things play out exactly how you would expect, with no real surprises apart from Protoman coming in to save the day once or twice. We are treated to some decent battle scenes between Rock and the six Robot Masters, three of whom are done entirely in CG, which is quite an impressive feat considering the independent nature of the film. There are a couple of treats in there for fans of the series which I do not want to spoil, but let’s just say there is a very cool scene where Rock goes up against one of the most infamous enemies in the series. (Can we say "pause trick", anyone?) There is also the point of free will which is brought up in regards to Blues, which Rock and Roll likewise do not have. We don’t sink too deeply into this issues, as it wouldn’t suit this sort of a movie, but the themes are definitely present, and they add a lot in terms of character depth and development in my opinion. But the real show stealer here, the main reason I decided to watch the film again and circulate it to my friends, is Dr. Albert Wily, played by David Maulbeck.

Most of the characters in the Mega Man games are fairly one-dimensional in terms of personality, and in that respect, they were played perfectly in this film. Mega Man is the inquisitive android, Roll is the happy-go lucky teenage girl, and Dr. Light is your standard moral scientist fair. They are your stereotypical good guy gang, and like any simplistic storyline, there is a very egotistical and maniacal bad guy present to string things along.

Dr. Wily has always been the most expressive and entertaining character in the series. From the first time we saw him riding his little UFO and raising those eyebrows at us in taunting, arrogant contempt, we knew he was up to no good. He is real cocky when the going is good, but as soon as Mega Man has a plasma buster aimed squarely at his head, he puts his tail in between his legs and cries home to mama. He is not a coward by any means; this sneaky manipulation is foolproof when it comes to outsmarting the Blue Bomber, and in a few weeks time, he will be broken out of jail with a new batch of Robot Masters on the loose to make a mess of things. He is a pragmatic manipulative sneak who doesn’t know when to give up, and the character is portrayed with brilliance in this film.

"I'm SCHEMING...this is my scheming face."

David Maulbeck does a fantastic job from start to finish. His wide range of expressions, his raspy exaggerated accent, and his general appearance all contribute to his performance, giving us exactly what we would expect from an onscreen Dr. Wily and more. When he is competing with two androids and a gentle scientist, it is not much of a contest, and he manages to steal every single scene he is in with his eccentricity. From his more subtle moments in the beginning, to his ranting tirades in the middle, all the way to his groveling beg for mercy in the end, we get to see every facet of his character presented on screen. It is a real treat to see him in action, and if you watch the film for no other reason, I would definitely give it a gander to at least see his performance here. I do not want to take away from the hard work the other actors in this film did, of course; everyone did a fantastic job of portraying their characters. I just think that David did a superb job with what he was given to work with, the obligatory mad-scientist archetype that could have turned out laughably poor were it in the hands of someone less suited to the role. There are some moments in here in which he comes off as genuinely threatening, such as the scene where he berates the android Roll while she is being held prisoner in his castle fortress.

Seriously..that is one dude you do NOT want to mess with.

They make an attempt to hint at a back story for Dr. Wily when he insinuates that he has lost and suffered just as Dr. Light has, but it is ultimately never fleshed out by the end. I can only assume these are points that would be brought up in a potential sequel, and though the film does not leave us sitting on a cliffhanger, it definitely does make room for future films. It would be nice if they made another, especially if they kept the original cast. Since the release of this film, I can no longer imagine anyone but Dave playing the role of Dr. Wily, and even when I think of the video games, I immediately attach his face to the name.

The Mega Man film is not the first role Dave has been in. According to his blog, "GO DAVE GO!", he has been in a variety of commercials, television spots, films, and has had a number of theater performances as well, including The Rocky Horror Show. Dave clearly has an outstanding range which is certainly not limited by the raving madman persona he adopts in Mega Man, and he tends to adopt comedic roles for the most part. Dave has also had experience in improvisational and sketch comedy, and even has experience directing and producing, making him a seasoned jack-of-all trades in his field. One of the more notable clips of his work was The Tribe, an internet show he directed, produced, and acted in. It is described as “a spot on prehistoric parody of The Office”, a reality show parody set in 28,000 B.C. With lines like, “I’m really starting to like this tribe…they even appointed a brown man chief hunter, so it’s quite progressive really.” It’s that dry kind of sarcastic humor that we have come to expect from British comedies, and in this as well as the clips I have seen of his stage work, he maintains that exaggerated expressive humor which was so welcome in his portrayal of Dr. Wily in the Mega Man film.

A classic shot of the Doctor, up to his usual no-good-nickery.

Video game fanatics are generally rabid in their criticisms of anything that has to do with their obsession, and video game films generally get the brunt of this. So far, the reaction of the film has been quite positive, and even critics of the film have been commending it for being such a stalwart attempt at a proper video game adaptation. Dave’s performance in particular has received an overwhelmingly positive reaction, so got in touch with and asked Dave if he would have time to complete a small interview for this article.

LC: People are very excited about this film, as it is the first real fan-made video game movie which has ever been true to the original storyline. How did you hear about this project, and at which point did you get involved?

DM: I saw a casting notice somewhere, and thought, "I love Mega Man, I wonder if they are looking for someone to play Dr. Wily?" And sure enough they were, so I submitted myself along with a special note, saying, "even though I am 40 years too young, I think I am perfect for Dr. Wily. I have played Albert Einstein before and when I played Dr. Scott in the Rocky Horror Show I based the character in part on Albert with a twist of Dr. Strangelove. I have a bit of mad scientist's mind, and as a child I was a huge fan of this video game series." I auditioned a few weeks later, and got the part.

LC: You have done a variety of different acting roles, each of which has shown your diverse range as an actor. What specifically attracted you to the role of Dr. Wily, and were you a fan of the Mega Man series before you took on that role?

DM: I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to play the bad guy, there is nothing more fun. People kinda think of me as a mad scientist in life already, so it was a good fit. And as I said in my letter to Eddie, I had played this sort of character before (Dr. Scott, and Albert Einstein). All that and I really liked the game as a kid and in college, but I could never and have never been able to beat the game. Can't get past the Yellow Devil.

LC: Acting generally seems to involve a lot of repetition, and a lot of camera takes to get specific shots right, etc. Were there any particularly difficult moments on the set of Mega Man which you found challenging to deal with?

DM: The ending was very hard to play, just because I didn't want Wily to go out like that. But Eddie insisted, "that's how it is in the game so that's how it is in the film." So we compromised and re-worked the dialogue just a touch. And if you look at the final cut, I grab a fistful of dirt while I'm on my knees begging. I really wanted to throw it right in Megaman's face, but I knew I had been beaten. Wily was certainly a challenging role over all; the age, the make-up, the accent, the madness, the passion, the brillianc; He's a complex dude, and an OVER THE TOP dude too! That is a very fun persona to inhabit, but a difficult one too, much like playing the video game. It's HARD...but SO FUN!

LC: How was your experience working with director Eddie Lebron, and the rest of the staff during film production?

DM: Great! I love Eddie, and think he's a tremendous talent. After Megaman had wrapped filming, as a producer, I hired him to direct this comedy short that I wrote. As an actor, he is great because he tells you what he needs, but gives you the freedom to get there however you want. From a producers point of view he is great, because his storytelling is clear, his images are beautiful, and he gets solid performances from his actors.

LC: It has not been a substantial amount of time since the release of the film, so this may be premature, but would you gauge reactions to this film, specifically to your performance as Dr. Wily so far?

DM: Really overwhelmingly positive, for the most part. People have said such nice things about my work and I am truly grateful. I am also so happy that so many people enjoyed my performance, and I hope that they like the next thing I do just as much!

LC: Is there any talk of a sequel to the Mega Man film? If so, would you be interested in revising your role as Dr. Albert Wily?

DM: After I saw the movie for the first time, I told Eddie that I want him to make a sequel so I can do a better job with Dr. Wily. Could it happen? Who knows. Would I jump at the opportunity? Absolutely.

LC: Apart from your time on Mega Man, you have had a great deal of experience as an actor, specifically in a variety of comedic roles. Were you considered a “class clown” in your school days, and did you have any specific comedic influences which inspired you to walk down that road?

DM: No I was definately not the class clown. I was very shy in high school, and I'm pretty sure many people never heard me talk. But in Drama Club, I was a cut-up, and of course with my friends I was funny. (But they were pretty funny too.) As a kid, Mel Brooks, Robin Williams, Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, and Dana Carvey were my absolute heros, and definately influenced me in my early career choices and still do today.

LC: Out of all the work you have done on theater, in film, television, and on the internet, what would you consider to be the most enjoyable medium to work in so far?

DM: That's a really hard question. They all have there upsides downsides, but I guess I love performing live improv on stage, in particular with my team, Chet Watkins. It's live, it's unscripted, and anything can happen, and there is a magic that exists in that moment with that audience when you do a show like that. At the same time, I love doing television and film. Seeing yourself on TV or on the big screen is pretty cool, so let's call it a tie.

LC: Apart from Mega Man, are there any other specific projects you have been involved in that hold a special place in your heart, and if so, why?

DM: I wrote, directed, produced and starred in a web-series called "the Tribe". It only has two episodes, but I really love everything about it.

LC: As an actor, director, writer and producer, what is your opinion of the industry as we move into the twenty-first century, with tools such as YouTube at our disposal which allow anyone to pick up a camera and essentially shoot whatever they want, regardless of budget, with the only limitations being self-imposed?

DM: I love it. I think it gives the opportunity for any one individual to reach the whole world and express themselves, and that's pretty cool, because it raises the cultural collateral of the entire planet. I think it is through the power of artistic expression that we better understand each other and ourselves as one race of people, and I think Facebook, YouTube and Vimeo are going to change the world, and I think it is up to us as to what kind of change that will be.

LC: Do you have any helpful advice or inspiring words you would like to share with other people who are trying to make their way into the industry?

DM: Dream big, be brave, believe in what you do. Know who you are and deliver that 110% of time. Get very good at falling on your face and then getting up and getting back in the race. Have a lot of fun; it's the best job on Earth, because there is no business like show business.

LC: What kind of projects can we look forward to from you in the future, and is there anything else you would like to add or share with us?

DM: I made this "character run" for the heck of it where I play 15 comedic characters in 3 minutes, and there's a little Wily in there too! I am Executive Producing a Television Pilot with my company Chicken Scoop Productions, and you can find out more about that later this month by subscribing to my blog, or my Twitter, or my fanpage on Facebook. I do a show with my improv team Chet Watkins every wednesday at 8:30 at the Magnet Theater. Tickets are only $5 and you will laugh your balls off. Thank you so much for watching Mega Man, it was a lot of fun to make.

I'd like to thank David once again for taking the time to complete this interview. I highly recommend checking out all of the links present, and watching the Mega Man film as well. In my own personal opinion, it is a must see for fans of the series. All the best to David Maulbeck and the rest of the folks who took the time to create this excellent film!

Weekend

2010-05-16T15:42:00.000-07:00

Been busy this weekend. No real update until tomorrow, which is going to be a good one; an interview with actor David Maulbeck, who played Dr. Wily in the Mega Man movie! Stoked!

I got my gaming rig yesterday...holy shit. It's a super hero. It plays literally anything I throw at it on the highest settings. Life is good.

My Top 5 Favorite RPG's

2010-05-14T12:31:00.000-07:00

Working on two huge articles now, nearly 6000 words of video game jargon for you all to enjoy in the near future! Apart from the article and interview with Classic Game Room, I am working on something else which will hopefully come out next week, but which I don't want to spoil yet.

In the mean time, I wanted to address one of my favorite all time genres, the RPG.

Now, there are some big debates on what constitutes a Role Playing Game, but I won't get in to them in this article. I have a list of my favorites, the RPG's which I consistently go back through, and I wanted to share that with you here.

5. Dragon Quest

All of them, seriously. I am only picking the first one based on the fact that they do not change a great deal from game to game. The Dragon Quest series has remained largely the same since its first iteration on the Nintendo Famicom. You take on the role of a sword wielding hero, and you explore the land killing monsters and gaining expeirience points and gold which are used to incrementally increase your strength though gaining levels, and purchasing new equipment. There are minor improvements and variations from game to game, but the premise is usually the same, and it is the utter simplicity of Dragon Quest that makes it so much damn fun to play. After Final Fantasy began to rise in popularity, we really didn't hear much about Dragon Quest until it popped up again with Dragon Quest VII for the Playstation. It just never quite caught on here like the more story driven Squaresoft games, and even now we are still sitting back and patiently awaiting the release of Dragon Quest IX for the Nintendo DS, a year after it first emerged in Japan. I still play the first game, known here as Dragon Warrior, and I still find it to be quite a lot of fun.

4. Earthbound

Earthbound for the Super Nintendo was the very first game that turned me on to the RPG genre. It had a unique brand of humor and wit, was set in pseudo-modern day, and had a deceptively dark storyline lurking underneath it all. It is also notorious for being hard to obtain; to this day, it still has not received any kind of re-release, and obtaining a complete original copy will run you a few hundred dollars. It has seen a prequel for the NES, a sequel for the Game Boy Advance, but neither of these have ever hit US shores Because of this, it remains somewhat obscure. The battle system is reminiscent to that of Dragon Quest, a first person perspective for the battle screen, and a birds-eye view the rest of the time. If you can get your hands on it, I highly recommend it, and even today I think it is worth the large price tag. It really is that good, whether or not you have already been initiated to the series.

3. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne

I wanted to put this game a couple of slots higher, but I simply haven't spent enough time with it. The Megami Tensei series has practically been completely ignored in North America, up until the release of Nocturne for the Playstation 2. Now the series is quite plentiful, and this once obscure dungeon crawling, nihilistic RPG is well known by many fans on this side of the globe. Think of it as a mature Pokemon, with demons instead of furry and fuzzy cute little things. Nocturne does away with the first person perspective while retaining the original game play style, mood, and art direction of previous titles. And man, what a doozy it is. You spend a lot of time convincing new demons to join you, fusing better demons out of the demons you have convinced to join you, and using those demons to beat other, even better demons in attempt to convince them to join you. It is one of the only games you will get a chance to play which allows you to kill God at the end of it, and it is also one of the only RPG's where you get to fight a skeleton on a motorbike. In short, it's just awesome.

2. Final Fantasy VII

Yes, it is every fanboys nightmare, the infamous Final Fantasy VII. When it first came out, many were amazed. It was hailed as the best RPG of it's time. Now, polluting the internet years later, are dozens of double takes and regretful re-reviews. Many people are denouncing their love for the popular game, almost claiming it to be the "sell-out" of the Final Fantasy series. I have to agree with the age old saying, that six is better than seven, but this one will always hold a special place in my heart for being the only game I was able to sit through for nearly twenty-four hours straight while being yelled at by an angry cousin who was miffed that I got to sit on my ass all day and play a video game. It has not happened since, and hopefully it will not happen again; my addiction to that game knew no bounds. And now that I have started to play it again, ten years later, I know why it was so horribly addicting; it's simply a lot of fun to play. Yes, it looks like hell. Yes, it is fairly easy by most standards. But I like the story, the characters, and the game play, and no ten page rebuttal is going to change that.

1. Chrono Trigger

I'd say this is on equal terms with Final Fantasy VII in terms of likeability. Much like its distant cousin, it has a simple appeal and a fun storyline that will bring players back again and again. It is not overly difficult to the point where even young players will be able to pick it up and beat it with little strategy or preparation, but tells a tale that literally transcends space and time. For a much more challenging affair, I suggest playing the sequel Chrono Cross, instead. But if you are looking for one of the originators of the cinematic style RPG, one which has a distinct anime (Dragonball, more specifically) flair, and a fascinating storyline to boot, I wouldn't pass this one up. It has also received it's fair share of criticism now that it is considered old hat, but I ignore the detractors in this case as well. It is very nostalgic for me, and very likeable, regardless of the fact that it is not the most in-depth, amazing game of all time. It was one of my favorites when I was young, and little has changed, which is why it comes in number one for me. It is an easily attainable game now that it has been released on the Nintendo DS, so if you haven't already, I suggest giving it whirl.

Starfighter

2010-05-13T13:41:00.000-07:00

Big article coming soon about my favorite video game review show, Classic Game Room! It will be a gooder, more details as they emerge.

For now, since all of my energy is devoted to that, I will indulge you with a short writeup on a game I just recieved today, called Starfighter.

Starfighter fits right in with my recent review of the Colony Wars series. It's a shooter where you take control of a...well, a Starfighter, and zoom around planetary environments blasting enemy bases, dodging missles, and just generally making a mess of things. It's pretty dated, and looks like absolutele garbage compared to Colony Wars, but it was a lot of fun back in the day. It also let you do some light terraforming of the environment with your lasers, which was a very neat feature at the time.

It was originally released on the Acorn Archimedes home computer, and was developed by Krisalis. It was later ported to the 3DO, and then the Sega Saturn and Playstation. The Saturn and Playstation strangely enough are home to inferior versions of the game, as they were ported by different people than the ones who were in charge of the 3DO port. There is a great deal of difference in the quality, and though I have never had the opportunity to try out the 3DO version, I personally didn't find the Playstation version all that bad to play. It's not an amazing breathtaking title, but it is good for a short burst of nostalgia, and remains enjoyable to this day. It can be found quite cheaply online, though I wouldn't go out of your way for it if you are not already a fan.

Short update for now, but the Classic Game Room article will be a good one. Don't miss it!

Starfighter for the 3DO

Monster Hunter...Tri it

2010-05-12T07:55:00.000-07:00

Yes, this must best way to start off any article, with a very poorly thought out and utilized play on words. Top quality stuff here, let me tell you...

In one of my more recent articles, I was addressing the issue of difficulty in video games. Originally this article was intended to be an introduction into my review for Monster Hunter Tri, an online multiplayer action game developed by Capcom and released for the Nintendo Wii back in April of this year. The article was eventually fleshed out to the point that it would have been meaningless to include a write-up on Tri, but I feel that this game deserves it's own piece, as it truly stands out in my mind as one of the best titles to come out this year, and is certainly one of the best titles on the Wii, period.

2010 is a good year for the Wii. We have a new Mario and a new Metroid on the way, and there is talk about a new Zelda as well. There is quite a rift between hardcore Nintendo Wii fans and the ones who seem to despise the system; plenty of somewhat substantiated complaints that it doesn't appeal to the hardcore crowd are abound, that most of its titles are catered towards children and families. While I understand where the complaints come from, I wouldn't necessarily agree. It is true that a lot of what is released for the Wii is bargain bin shovelware meant too appeal to the non-gamer, usually utilizing some gimmicky motion control to flesh out an otherwise boring game. The Wii Motion Controller is both a blessing and a curse for Nintendo. They were able to appeal to a specific group of people who are generally not interested in gaming, while simultaneously ostracizing long-time gamers who expect unique and challenging game play. With all that said, it is still certainly a stretch to think that there are no hardcore games for the Wii, and as long as games like Monster Hunter Tri keep popping up every now and then, there will always be a small spot in the Wii library reserved for only the most seasoned of gamers.

OH GOD, PLEASE, NO MORE.

Monster Hunter Tri is a unique experience on the Wii for many reasons. For one, it is one of the first titles to truly utilize the availability of online play. The Monster Hunter series is by no means new and dates back to the Sony Playstation 2, which was the last time it saw an online capable iteration in North America. There have been a few games released here since then, all for the Sony PSP, but to my knowledge they did not contain an online function; you could link up locally and play with friends, but you could not play with random people over the net. If you did happen to have three other friends who owned PSP systems and a copy of this game, not much of a problem there, and I am sure it would have been a blast. But the ability to be able to plug in a keyboard and play with people from around the world helps the appeal of this game immensely, attracting not only veteran Monster Hunters, but new players as well.

Monster Hunter looks and feels similar to many games before it, while at the same time being born of a completely different stock. It immediately reminded me of Phantasy Star Online for the Sega Dreamcast and Nintendo Gamecube when I first started to play it. You run around in isolated areas killing monsters with a variety of weapons, and looting their corpses by carving them up with a knife. But with Monster Hunter, that is about where the similarities end. You may find yourself a little lost when you first begin playing, and if you are a fan of the PSO series, you may be wondering when you gather enough experience points to gain a level. Although it has some of the same conventions, Monster Hunter is absolutely not an RPG; your skill increases incrementally through the types of weapons and armor you produce, and through learning the patterns and behaviors of the monsters you are fighting, not through the collection of experience points. Another thing that separates it from the crowd is that you will not generally spend a great deal of time killing hordes of small useless enemies. The real meat of the game is in the large monsters you do battle with, and this is how you will progress through the game, how you will be able to continue to build bigger and better equipment to save yourself from getting your ass kicked later on.

Pfft...how tough could he be?

This is an important thing to note if you consider purchasing this game. There have been very few video games made wherein the bosses take up the majority of your time. It's definitely an interesting, and not very often explored take on the action genre, and many people are iffy on the concept and would just prefer to go out and slaughter a weakling army of thousands. If that is the case for you, then you will not likely enjoy the game. Two other titles, though drastically different, immediately come to mind when I think of Monster Hunter; Alien Soldier for the Sega Mega Drive, and Shadow of the Colossus for the Playstation 2. Both of those games, though very different from each other, used boss enemies as the main focal point of the game play. In Alien Soldier, you would run through simplistic stages, killing small enemies along the way in order to build up your health bar. These sequences were broken up into one or two minute chunks, after which point you would fight a boss. Lather, rinse and repeat a couple of dozen times, and you have one of the best action games on the Sega Mega Drive, which sadly missed the North American boat and was never released here. Shadow of the Collossus dropped you in a world completely devoid of life, all except for several gigantic titans. Not only were these the only enemies you would face, but some were so massive, they would actually act as "levels" in the sense that you first had to figure out how to get on top of them in order to be able to kill them. It was an amazing game, which fared better than its predecessor Ico, and which remains a unique and brilliant experience.

With Monster Hunter, you have all the mechanics of a hack-and-slash game in place, without all that tedious hacking and slashing. I have referred to it in the past as one of the only hunter-gatherer simulators in existence, and I think I am fairly spot on with my assumption. Apart from killing gigantic stone-age beasties, you will spend a great deal of your time collecting a multitude of resources which you can use to synthesize items to aid you on your quest. And unlike so many resource oriented games, it will generally not be in your best interest to sell these off for a pithy amount of money. You will find yourself using all kinds of allegedly useless resources later on in the game, and as you begin to understand the mechanics a little better, you won't find a need to drop down loads of cash at the local shops for your items; the majority of what you will need is available in the field somewhere. Need health? Mix up some herbs and mushrooms, and some honey for good measure if the regular health potions aren't making the cut. Low on stamina? Carve up a beast, put a steak on your spit, and have yourself a little barbeque. Once you start finding a flow, everything fits together quite nicely, and from your first half-hour fight with a Great Jaggi, to the next time you do battle with an upgraded weapon and wipe him out in five minutes, you will feel the true rewards which come with the game; the thrill of the kill, and the gratification of steady progression which comes through experience, and not through experience points.

Sorry, you will have to get your level grinding and virtual naked elf girl porn elsewhere.

The single player game acts as something of a tutorial, a basic tour of all that the main game has to offer. You will fight every available monster, build up your resources and your cash, grab bigger and badder weapons along the way, and finish a variety of challenging quests. But the real meat of the game undoubtedly comes in the multiplayer experience. If you intend to buy this game, be sure to get online if you haven't already. Although Wii Speak is an option for communication it is also a very limited one, and although the game has successfully and thankfully done away with Friend Codes, you will still need to be in-game friends with the people you are partying up with in order for them to communicate with you. My experiences online with Wii Speak have been shoddy at best, and immediately after failing a long session with a cousin of mine due to a poor level of communication, I ran out and bought a keyboard. With a keyboard, you can speak to whomever you choose, and I have absolutely no complaints other than the fact that you can only type one line at a time. My experience with other plays has so far been extremely positive, and people are generally quite helpful and lenient, although you will find the odd bad seed or two like in any online game.

In the online game, you essentially pick a room of three other players to join which acts as a chat lobby and a central hub where you can buy and equip new items and take on quests. When you begin a quest, other players may join you, and then you will be taken into one of the games many areas. The monsters are much more difficult online due to the fact that they have a much higher health ratio. If you go it alone, they will likely take much longer to bring down, although the reward for defeating them is usually quite a lot higher. It is recommended you fight them alongside a couple of other hunters, as some of the nastier ones can easily wipe you out in just a few hits if you aren't careful. In battle you have a variety of weapons to choose from, and it is generally smart to find a balance; if you have four people using great swords, you are going to be sustaining a lot of unnecessary hits from your allies if they do not quite know what they are doing. You won't take damage, but it will knock your ass back a few paces, and leave you in a vulnerable position. If you stick with one group for long enough, you may find yourself adapting to their playing styles, and in one situation, myself and three others were working in perfect unison to take out a Ludroth to the point that it looked almost cinematic. I would roll under the other Hunter's great sword as he would swipe, I'd stand up and get in a few hits while he moved out of the way, and our friend was in the background, rapidly firing shots in the beasts direction. It was a lot of fun, and very rewarding when we felled the beast. It was certainly a turning point for me regarding the game, and I have been hooked ever since.

There is a very vocal group who will sing the praises of Monster Hunter until their throats are dry, while others will simply not understand the appeal. In comparison to the all-too-available MMORPG's which are available today, it's online style certainly seems primitive at first glance; it is simply not that kind of game, nor was it meant to be. If you go in expecting to role play, to go on a massive adventure four hours at a time in search of one particular enemy or item, grinding your experience all the while in hopes of reaching that distant next level, you will be SORELY disappointed. This is an action game with resource collection in full swing, so don't expect much else. But if you enjoy a challenge, if you don't mind getting together with a few other people, and if you can stand to give up about one to two hundred hours of playing time for an experience you will seldom find elsewhere, Monster Hunter Tri is definitely worth a tr-

Well, I'm not going to say it again.

(NOTE: For my full Gamefaqs review, please check out THIS LINK. )

The Original Loaded Cartridge

2010-05-12T07:30:00.000-07:00

It looks like I was not the first, unfortunately, to coin the name "Loaded Cartridge."

While I was checking up on Google to see if my site would appear yet or not, I found a short video, a spoof on the Double Dragon series posted in 2007 by a group calling themselves "Loaded Cartridge". It looks like they have been defunct for awhile and this is the only video I found with that title which is why I'm not too worried about using it at this point. Regardless, whatever these fellas are up to now, I figured it behooved me to at least pay homage to them.

So without further ado, I present to you the original "Loaded Cartridge".

Playstation Gems: Colony Wars

2010-05-11T08:07:00.000-07:00

Back in its heyday, the Sony Playstation seemed like a heaven sent console for those of us who had been playing games in the 2nd dimension all of our lives. It was the first console to really take advantage of and excel in the 3d realm, and other consoles such as the Sega Saturn and the Panasonic 3DO simply couldn't match what it was capable of. As the years went on, it would be home to some extraordinary titles, and its lifespan would extend all the way into the new millennium up until the last game was released in 2005, eleven years after it's original release.

I must admit I have been guilty of not giving the system the credit it deserves. I had always written it off as an "in-between" console after being stuck with one for almost six years, and eventually I would almost forget about it completely. But the allure of a few specific games would eventually drag me back, and recently, I have once again taken the time too appreciate and enjoy some of my old favorites on the Playstation; not just for the sake of nostalgia, but because they truly are enjoyable games. Depending on the game being played, the graphics have not done so well. With 2d consoles, you can appreciate the games for what they are. Pixel art still looks good years later depending on the amount of time and detail put into it, but I am beginning to harbor a certain appreciation for the primitive 3d games of old. They have a certain appeal that immediately draws you back into another time, and some of them, such as Colony Wars by Psygnosis, seem to have lost very little in their presentation even with the advances in graphics that we have had in the past ten years.

Colony Wars is a three game series by Psygnosis where you play a starship pilot much like the Wing Commander series of old. The storyline of the first game is unique in that it has you fighting against the Earth Empire for control of the Sol system. In the sequel, Colony Wars: Vengeance, you play on the opposite side for the Colonial Navy, and although the game play remains largely the same, the sequel throws in some planet based missions for good measure so you are not always flying around in empty space. Finally in the third game, Colony Wars: Red Sun, you play as a mercenary and the game play is more mission based. There is an overarching storyline in place, but you can choose from a variety of sub-missions in order to earn resources to improve your ship, buy new weapons, etc. The Colony Wars series is also somewhat non-linear, in that the missions you win or lose will have an affect on the outcome of the game. Apart from minor changes from title to title, the mechanics are more or less the same, and they are in the same vein as many mission-based space combat games of their time. One thing I found interesting was the need to switch between different weapons in order to destroy enemy ships. Apart from your torpedoes and other weapons you have two main cannons, one which fires anti-shield lasers, and the other which is designed to attack the hull of the enemy ship specifically. You need to make sure you take the shields down before you switch to your main cannon, or it will take ages to wipe out the enemy. Apart from simply blasting ships, there is some variety in missions between all three of the games which have you completing specific objectives, not all of which are combat based, such as swinging explosive canisters from a laser harpoon into a black hole. Whatever you do in the game, it is usually a lot of fun and highly suggested to anyone who is a fan of space combat titles.

I used to be a pretty big fan of the Colony Wars series, and there was a time when I owned all three of them. The original stands out as the best one for me personally, but I was able to track down the sequel, Colony Wars: Vengeance, in a local pawn shop. After popping it into my PS2, and turning on my HDTV, I expected a huge disappointment graphically. What I remembered about the game was that it was one of the prettier titles on the original Playstation. And I would be surprised to find out that even today, it doesn't look too shabby. While some textures are noticeably poor, the graphics are colorful and vibrant, the lighting effects are decent for the time, and the frame rate runs pretty smoothly although that is to be expected of a game where ninety percent of the scenery is empty space. It is not going to blow anyone away, but it was certainly impressive at the time and you won't have a hard time adjusting to it and immersing yourself in the game play.

The sound is quite stellar, everything from the basic effects to the orchestrated music, and there are a couple of tracks throughout the series which I have had stuck in my head from time to time. The presentation is excellent as well, the menus are clean and sharp, and the voice acting scattered throughout is fairly decent. When the games were originally released IGN gave the first one a 9.3 out of 10, and the sequel a 9.5 out of 10, so they were quite well loved when they first hit store shelves.

Colony Wars IGN Review
Colony Wars: Vengeance IGN Review

With the third game in the series, Colony Wars: Red Sun being released so late in the Playstation's life cycle, it fared slightly worse than its predecessors and in my opinion, is definitely an inferior title compared to the first two although it still remains a blast to play.

Colony Wars: Red Sun IGN Review

If you ever find these games, or are simply itching for a good space flight experience, I highly urge picking them up. They never descended into the realm of being expensive and rare, so they will not run you more than a few bucks each on Ebay. They are a lot of fun, and they beg the question; why the hell was a sequel never produced? It would be fantastic to see a new game release for the PS3, or the XBOX, even though Psygnosis is now defunct and it will likely never happen. They would have made a great PS2 game even, and considering the relative scarcity of space combat games, I am surprised we don't see more of them being released, especially with the capabilities we have now.

Up For A Challenge

2010-05-10T08:02:00.001-07:00

With the huge number of video games available for purchase each year, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to become conservative whenever it is time to take a trip to that local game shop. I mean sure, there are thousands of lame-ass shovelware titles which Grandma will more than likely be happy to buy for you at Christmas time, but a lot of what is released is quite decent, and it is tough to try anything, unless you don't mind dealing with expensive rental prices and potential late fees when you are just two levels away from the final boss. Unless you are filthy rich and have way too much free time, you are forced to limit yourself, some to only a couple of titles a year. But how do you choose? If you stick with big developers, you risk missing out on the quiet niche titles which are so often, and unfortunately, completely ignored. If you stick with one genre, you will more than likely become bored, itching for something new, and stuck with a hefty stack of games which all look and play alike. As you become a more experienced gamer, you begin to recognize your likes and dislikes, and filter out the rest accordingly.

One of the most important elements of any game in my opinion is the level of challenge. If a game is too easy, I will simply get bored far before I have the opportunity to finish it. If it is unfairly difficult, that is to say if the game is riddled with bugs or control games which dictate what the challenge level will be, I will usually throw down the controller in frustration, even if there is a diamond somewhere in the rough. I'm like Goldilocks, without all the bears and nonsense and being female; I like my games to be "just right."

That being said, there are a few niche titles which I am convinced are utter gold, but which few others seem to see the beauty of. The reasons why I enjoy the games, and why others seem to hate them so much is more or less the same; a very high level of difficulty. For many, this is a sign to stay away, but if properly done, this has become a saving grace for many of my favorite titles. Some of the most rewarding games I have played and conquered were also some of the most difficult, and being able to play a game from start to finish like Mega Man 2 without losing a single life on hard mode, though not nearly as profound as many other gamers achievements, is always a satisfying experience.

We are wired to enjoy a good challenged, and nothing represents a high level of addicting challenge like the arcade era of video games. How many people do you know who can actually pass the first ten stages of Pac-Man on the normal dipswitch settings? How many people do you know who have reached the kill-screen on Donkey Kong? These games used difficulty as a way to consume your quarters of course, but they were possible to master if you worked at it. And regardless of difficulty, thousands poured into arcades everyday to throw their hard earned quarters into loud, seizure inducing cabinets, all in an attempt to gain that extra point on Centipede, to beat just one more level in Galaga. The arcade era is the immortal era in video games, and even years later, when you can nary find a single dusty arcade cab around, the challenge continues.

As recently as March of this year, the Donkey Kong world record was once again trumped and taken out of the hands of Billy Mitchell, the original Donkey Kong world record holder seen in the 2007 film "The King of Kong". As some of you might remember, it was a highly dramatized (and wholly inaccurate, from what many sources seem to say.) documentary about middle class dad Steve Wiebe, and his struggle to defeat arcade superstar Billy Mitchell for the world record in Donkey Kong. Three years after the film, completely out of left field, New York resident Hank Chien swooped in and stole the title from both Billy and Steve, nearly thirty years after the game was originally released on the arcade market. And in ten years from now, who knows what kind of scores we will see cropping up for an archaic 8-bit game featuring a monkey throwing barrels down at a frantic little mustachioed man; as long as the challenge is there, people will continue to play.

Pac-Man is a lot like life; you constantly run lost in circles hoping not to be eaten by something, and inevitably when all is said and done, you will unavoidably DIE, DIE, DIE. Most. Nihilistic. Game. Ever.

Throughout the years, games have changed and evolved to the point where they are barely recognizable from their simple 8-bit counterparts, but the basic premise has more or less remained the same; you have some kind of inevitable goal to reach, there are a multitude of obstacles along your path, there is usually some kind of random element or two involved to increase the challenge making it difficult for you to completely master the game, and it takes a great deal of knowledge, skill, and practice in order for you to successfully accomplish the goal at hand. As far as modern games go, it seems we are taking a step back in some respects, to the days before pre-programmed algorithms and pattern-based artificial intelligence dictated the types of games we would be playing. With what seems like thousands of multiplayer-based video games now available on the market, the ability to play either locally or over the internet, and the advancements in communications technology which now allow us to remotely interact while playing said games, we are effectively moving back to a much simpler time, when the goal was not to defeat a pre-programmed invisible enemy, but instead, the player sitting right next to you, in head-to-head competition. Now, said player may very well be sitting on a couch some thousands of miles away from you, but the premise is the same; games are once again becoming a thing of improvisational skill, a contest against unpredictable opponents who can adapt and change according to your actions, just as much as you can adapt and change to theirs.

When you think of how far we have come in terms of technological advances, it is funny to see that, although our games now look and sound as if they could exist in the real world, there is still something lacking in the way of the artificial intelligence that is present our single player games. When Steve Russell, Martin Graetz, and Wayne Witaenem sat down in 1961 and decided to create one of the very first digital computer games, they may not have realized the significance of what they were doing. "Spacewar!" was a simple two player affair which pitted (with a bit of imagination) one spaceship against another, each controlled by a player, for supremacy over a small round black screen. Ten years later, Nolan Bushnell, the founder of Atari, would create and sell his own version of "Spacewar!” called "Computer Space", which would also come out with a multiplayer version. Although the game did relatively poorly, it would lead to one of the most well-known games of all time, and the original precursor of the arcade industry, a little game where two players would bat an electronic ball back and forth across the screen with digital paddles, known as "Pong". Even though the game was the very definition of utter simplicity, there was a distinct element of competitive challenge involved that enticed players to keep going. Anyone could pick up and play the game, but skilled players would most definitely trump the weaker ones. This same basic element permeates the first person shooters and fighting games of today. Many of them can be picked up quite easily, and the controls are generally intuitive and relatively simple to grasp. But in order to progress, you must spend a great deal of time learning the intricacies of the game, learning those hidden combos, or more effective ways to take out your opponent without being taken out yourself. With the ability to play with people all over the world, the likelihood of you finding someone who will kick your ass has also increased, thus forcing you to constantly improve and adapt your abilities to match the better players out there.

Spacewar: coming soon to XBLA. "LOL MY NEEDLE TTLY PWNED UR WEDGE, NOOB!!"

These are all elements which many single player games lack. The game is only as good as the programming, and if you can figure out what is going on underneath the hood, becoming a champion of said game is inevitable. The game will never change, unless said changes are minor, like if a random element is in play, and players will eventually obtain the skills required to consistently be able to defeat these games. This doesn't make them any less playable or enjoyable, however; but for many players, it is generally much less rewarding to defeat a pre-programmed computer than it is to kick the crap out of your buddy while he is sitting next to you, suffering a crushing defeat in the fetal position with his thumb in his mouth. Games have survived so long because of their competitive nature, because of our constant need to triumph, to be better than our neighbor. It has always been about who could kill the bigger lion, who has the bigger gun, who has the hotter wife, and games are no different. Whether you are playing them on a board, in a field, or on your television screen, the goal is always the same - victory. But reaching that goal is not enough; it is the challenges standing in the way of said goal which entice us to pick up and play in the first place. If soccer consisted of one player, a ball, and a net, nobody would see any reason to play. If in Chess, one player took the role of a single pawn, and the other had two rows of queens, what would be the point? If you take the challenge away, you can have no sense of achievement or accomplishment when all is said and done.

Whether you are playing alone, or playing with others, it is the challenge that will keep you coming back for more. I don't go back to easy games; once I have mastered a game, I am usually finished with it for good. But if there is something I missed, something to keep me coming back, there is no limit to how much time I will spend, as long as the game is enjoyable, and keeps things fresh and exciting.

The Plan

2010-05-09T16:26:00.000-07:00

I am currently working on the next article. The first one was a bit short, and if there were not enough run on sentences and crude jokes, don't worry; the blog entries posted in the future will be full, fleshed out, researched articles, and not fly by night spew fests as I have done in the past with other projects. I am currently working a big one right now, and am trying to get the involvement of another person who I will not name unless I am given the go ahead. Either way, the next article should hopefully be up by the end of the week.

In the future, I am already scheming and thinking of people to interview on this blog. Once I have a few articles under my belt, I will make an effort to do so, and I already have some nifty people in mind. Before that, I will be doing what I can to popularize this blog, as increased readership and response will likely improve the chances of catching the ears and eyes of relevant individuals whom I can implement into my articles.

So sit tight, stay tuned, and spread the word if you can.

PC GAMING FUN TIME

2010-05-07T13:36:00.001-07:00

PC gaming has never been much of a thing for me.

I have always aspired to whittle away my excess time with a mouse in hand, and my fingers pressed firmly against the WASD keys, but it just never happened. Not very much.

I didn't get my first PC until I was about ten years old, and even then, my gaming tastes were limited to the likes of poorly made adventure games, where you spent most of your time looking at low quality JPEG images, and inevitbly, clicking on said low quality JPEG images so that you would have an opportunity to look at different low quality JPEG images, and maybe the odd Quicktime movie if you were really lucky. Back then, immersion was as easy as shutting the lights off, and jacking up the internal speaker volume; it was just like real life, if real life made you stand around for hours wondering why this switch turned on that pipe on completely different disc than the one you were on, and why every now and again, you had the sudden compelling urge to promptly fall on a butcher knife, because anything would be better than spending another hour walking back and forth, desperately clicking around the screen wondering why in the hell you had no idea what to do next.

Harcore PC gaming was an utter mystery for me, and my idea of a hardcore gamers game was Sim City. I had nary heard about the fragfest that was quake, about DOOM LAN parties, and I was curious as to what the heck that darn Starcraft game was all about, gee whiz. Since the only machines I have ever owned have been SEVERELY underpowered, it usually takes me a few years before I get to find out what all the fuss is about. Eventually, my mind would be blown, over and over again when I finally had the chance to even GAZE upon the likes of Starcraft, Quake 3, Unreal Tournament, and many others; but it would take me awhile to get there. The only game I was ever on top of was World of Warcraft, which I was able to pick up on launch day due to my illustrious position at EB Games, where I made a jealous rage-inducing seven dollars an hour, much to the bemusement of angry nerds everywhere. Oh yes, you missed out on SO much; those six hundred dollar checks were absolutely ON FIRE.

Honestly, guys...not as fun as you'd think.

When I was finally able to grab a newer machine, I picked an Acer. Yes, I know what you're thining, and I know it contains a lot of swear words, and a lot of insults about me being some kind of homosexual or pedophile, but it was all I could really afford at the time. It sort of kind of ran Guild Wars, and it absolutely ran nothing else, so once again, I was stuck. Eventually it would become so unusable that I would have to use a poor distribution of Linux on it to even keep it running, and, yet again, while games like Crysis were popping up for the PC, I would make yet another executive decision to prevent me from every playing anything good...ever. What that means of course, is that I bought a netbook.

Now, by this point, I was so turned off by PC games. Every one I had ever played was a sluggish hell fest of infinitely mediocre proportions, and it really sucks to be the only nerd on the block who says "Yeah, whatever, I can pull down a whole 2fps while in Ironforge, douchebag! I'm running an ATOM processor, which is better than your crappy quad core; mine has atoms in it! Or something, I dunno." That may have been why I stuck to retro gaming for so long, where people get absolutely pumped when they can rock their Motorolla, and overclock it to 10 MHZ. Now THAT'S blast processing.

I was essentially limited to Korean MMORPG's, which as you know, is an acronym for "Not Fun AT All, Ever." Perfect World, Maple Story, and some other random junk where you endlessly kill the same rabbit over and over until you die of repetition, feeling really embarressed all the while when your wife comes in, and sees you hanging around with half naked flying elf babes which are really twelve year olds sneaking onto their dads computers at one in the morning. That whole tirade ended pretty fast when I realized that if I wanted to do chores, there was a perfectly good kitchen in my apartment, with dishes in the sink waiting to be washed. Sure, I wouldn't get experience points, or be able to afford leather armor, but if I cleaned enough, and fed my wife the right amount of alcohol, then maybe...JUST MAYBE, I would be able to get laid that night. Better than cyber sex with a girl made out of polygons who is actually a fifty-two year old man named "Angry Charlie."

"Oh yes, kind sir.." I say, as I slowly peel off my tiny Night Elf thong and look upon you with longing, mystical eyes...

Flash forward to this week, when out of the blue, my netbook suddenly decided it couldn't stand to live in a "stinkin' world" like this anymore, and decided it never wanted to boot past POST ever again. Since we already had it replaced after a faulty keyboard controller fried the motherboard or something, and my pure spite and malice for the thing (and the dumbass employees at London Drugs who took two months with it before declaring it "unfixable") was channelled into an energy vortex and incidentally caused the Haitian earthquake to occur, we were screwed out of coverage, and now the thing is basically dog meat. I don't know what that means really. Dogs don't generally eat malfunctioning computers. Maybe it's a hypothetical robot dog or something. Oh well, who cares, doesn't matter.

Nevertheless, we decided it was time to actually invest in something that wasn't going to fail in a week and a half. So now, I am computer shopping, and preparing for the ultimate in PC gaming; a throwback to the days of old, when I watched so many, OH so many Zerglings constantly rush my Terran base, wiping out everything I had spent hours to produce in a single stroke. That's right, coming this summer, for the first time since the last time, is a brand new Starcraft game. And I am going to be waiting, eagerly, sixt dollars in hand, so I can get virtually raped by a brand new alien locust spawn, as evidenced in this video where somebody gets messed up bad by 400 Zerglings, GOD-DAMN.

Well, war is hell, but hopefully this game won't be. It is already in beta, and apparently availble for public play with a pre-order; pretty nifty, and if it is still available, I should be able to get my filthy hands on it within a couple of weeks. The search for a gaming PC has yielded the discovery of a decent machine for about 1300 dollars. Fairly pricey, but after spending so much time with failing Emachines, ACER's and Dell's, not to mention the fact that I know enough about PC's to fix them and replace parts as needed, I think it will be worth the investment. I'm looking forward to reliving some older favorites, such as Half-Life, and even moreso, I can't wait to try out some of the newer games, like Modern Warfare, Crysis, and Resident Evil 5.

As for MMORPG's, I think I am pretty much done with them. I enjoyed WoW for what it was, I played the hell out of a few of those awful Korean games, and I am dying to see what the Shin Megami Tensei online game is like. There are a few others that have piqued my interest, including the upcoming Star Wars: Old Republic, but other than that, I am likely going to stick with strategy games and shooters for the time being. I have so many fond memories of shooting things until they violently explode in an orgy of blood and gore, and I don't want to let go of that. Since I essentially skipped out on the PS3 and the Xbox 360, I need to find some way to get my high definition fragging fix, and the PC should work out nicely to fill the gap. There is something so satisfying about the precision aiming you only get with a mouse, something that the consoles have done a decent, but never perfect job of fully emulating. With the now not-so-recent rise of the console first person shooter, it's no wonder that there is some disconnect between PC gamers and console gamers, who each swear by their own methods of control. But there is a reason why the PC is still considered the king of LAN parties and gaming tournaments, why it continues to survive and thrive, years after home consoles were progressively more beefed up to compete with their bigger, badder PC bretheren.

Honestly, why do parents have a problem with this? Don't people explode like this in real life when you shoot them with a high powered railgun?

All in all, it's a shame I have been out of the game and behind the times this long, but it is never too late to start. And by start, I mean it is never too late to get shot in the back of the head, and have a fourteen year old thrust his character back and forth over top of your dead corpse and spin around in a circle, doing a little "rape dance" to signify your complete and utter defeat. And with the voice chat revolution, he can cuss you out and yell expletives easier than ever before, without the need to stop and peck aimlessly at the keys until a bigger, better badass (also some fourteen year old slugging back pepsi in front of his moms computer) comes along and shoves a rocket where the sun don't shine.

Oh, the wonders of technology. I can't wait to become a part of the revolution. And by that, I mean a big lazy fatass who ignores his kids, and calls in sick to work to sneak in a few extra matches because staying up until four AM to do so simply wasn't good enough.

LOADED CARTRIDGE

2010-05-07T09:38:00.001-07:00

I have been a professional nobody for several years now. So far, it has been quite successful, and I have recieved almost one award for my consistent ability to waste time, money, and energy on electronic devices designed exclusively for the function of playing video games, known to your Grandma as "Nintendos".

I am an amateur, unsuccessful writer, and I have spent about as much time sitting in front of the computer as I have sitting in front of the Sega, generally pumping out article after article of hate-filled, overly sarcastic, and sometimes (but not very often) satirical dialogue which I shared with a group of like-minded, but not nearly as mentally retarded individuals who I have as of late realized, are much much more developed and intelligent than I am, and who by all means, should not be subjected to my general load of crap. It's a nasty world out there on the internet, full of mean-spirited introverts and mouth-breathers who want nothing more than to call you a "fag", and shit all over the fact that you prefer Nintendo to Sony, or vice versa. Slip up once and you will be absolutely lambasted and raked over the coals for your misinformation, laughed at and booed until you are banished from the nether regions of the net, kind of like in the movie Judge Dredd where they sent him in the desert and he was all like "I AM THE LAW." and they were like "Tough shit, pal." and I don't really remember that movie anyways, so I guess it doesn't matter.

And that ranting non-sequitur you just witnessed, combined with articles and other material largely concerning both current and retrogaming, is my new blog, Loaded Cartridge.

I have been an avid gamer for years. My addiction culminated around the time I started to get pussy, and I dropped the whole bit for awhile. But now that I am happily married with cats (not a typo, we have yet to begin the production of pink little screaming gila-monsters) I am able to be a little more comfortable with my inner nerd, like a gay coming out of the closet, only with less anal sex and more dusty cartridges lying all over the living room, oh god, can you please pick up those controllers because the cats have been choking themselves with the cords, and I think I need to go find a real man now. It began when I was young, with Nintendo, one of my very first memories of existence being King Koopa in Super Mario Bros. Many people think that is disturbing and sad, but since some of my other memories consist of eating french fries, and realizing that the chocolate chip I ate in the corner of my bedroom was DEFINITELY NOT a chocolate chip, I don't think it should really be all too surprising.

After Nintendo, I was like a pothead who just discovered cocaine for the first time. It was amazing, and I wanted more, more, MORE. Sega Genesis was next, followed by Super NES, followed by Nintendo 64, Playstation, and pretty much everything else you could ever hope to shake a stick at. Of course, when I got a little older, and realized that people were willing to take your stuff and trade it for other stuff, I went on a stark raving mad pawning spree, and lost pretty much everything. Later on I would calm down before getting rid of all of my video game shit eventually apart from my Sega Dreamcast, and years later, I would start collecting again, starting right where I had begun, with a Nintendo and Sega Genesis.

After my Sega collection reached critical mass, I decided to branch off into other consoles, with the intention of buying a reselling classic games. Thanks the the intervention of a couple of people I met online who screwed me out of a good deal, I decided that wasn't the route for me; being very high strung and already full of irrational rage, I decided my heart could simply NOT take the overseas loss of another Neo Geo game. So I cut my losses, kept everyting I had already collected, and have decided to move on with my life. Using my adequate knowledge of the English language, and ability to string several words together to form what I have dubbed to be "communication strings", I realized I could portray my own thoughts and opinions in a halfway useable form for others to digest and enjoy, by uploading these "thought fragments" or, "word packets" to the "super information highway."

Since this is certainly not the first or last blog of this type, I am not going to throw a bunch of ego-inflated bullshit at you. Video game journalism is sketchy at best, and I realize that. This is just for fun, something I will be doing in my spare time, but I hope a few people get a kick out of it. And if there are any introverted mouth-breathers who will be reading it in the future, I am only using your demographic as a way of concocting cheap, easy jokes, just like Republicans do when they talk about gay people. I have nothing against you or your cheeto eating ways, please do not misunderstand my intentions.