A Winner Is You 2018 edition...

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Originally Posted by MrMatthews

I noticed that, too. Bachman, Koontz ... I forget the others.

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https://venturebeat.com/wp-content/u...C507&strip=all

• Richard Bachman, pen name of Stephen King (The Running Man, Thinner)
• Carl Sagan (Cosmos, Contact)
• Robert Bloch (Psycho, American Gothic)
• Michael Crichton (The Andromeda Strain, Jurassic Park)
• Dean Koontz (Watchers, Phantoms)
• Ira Levin (Rosemary’s Baby, Sliver)
• Richard Matheson (I Am Legend, A Stir of Echoes)
• Francis Paul Wilson (The Keep, Reborn)
• Ray Bradbury (The Martian Chronicles, It Came from Outer Space)
• Jack Finney (The Body Snatchers, Time and Again)
• Dan Simmons (Hyperion, Ilium)
• John Sandford (Rules of Prey, The Fool’s Run)

Source: https://venturebeat.com/2014/08/23/w...have-missed/2/

That’s right... Sagan and Crichton were the other two I noticed.

Surprised there’s not a Lovecraft... maybe that would have been too on-the-nose.

I'm terrible at survival horror. They don't scare me but I suck at managing ammo and such. Still, I should play an SH game one of these days. I know the stories and characters. As a person who loves horror and think SH is the best series (well SH 1-3) is the best horror games I have ever seen. I'm just so bad at them. Why I liked RE4 as it wasn't an issue really. SHould also play RE5 someday as it looks fun. Still my fave RE was REmake even tho I sucked at it. Lisa Trevor truly sold the game for me as did the mansion.

The only survival horror that scared me was P.T. which was amazing. I have Silent Hill 3 and it’s not scary at all, and more reallly boring. The little dumb monsters are kind of cute though.

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Originally Posted by The Jackal

https://venturebeat.com/wp-content/u...C507&strip=all

• Richard Bachman, pen name of Stephen King (The Running Man, Thinner)
• Carl Sagan (Cosmos, Contact)
• Robert Bloch (Psycho, American Gothic)
• Michael Crichton (The Andromeda Strain, Jurassic Park)
• Dean Koontz (Watchers, Phantoms)
• Ira Levin (Rosemary’s Baby, Sliver)
• Richard Matheson (I Am Legend, A Stir of Echoes)
• Francis Paul Wilson (The Keep, Reborn)
• Ray Bradbury (The Martian Chronicles, It Came from Outer Space)
• Jack Finney (The Body Snatchers, Time and Again)
• Dan Simmons (Hyperion, Ilium)
• John Sandford (Rules of Prey, The Fool’s Run)

Source: https://venturebeat.com/2014/08/23/w...have-missed/2/

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You ought to play SH series on this TV.

https://i.imgur.com/Ytg6aCG.jpg

Attachment 14281
Endless Ocean - Wii

Entrancing unique game of ocean-exploring. Some truly breathtaking moments. Some people might think the Celtic Woman music cheesy, but I think it fit perfectly for swimming with whales and dolphins over endless coral reefs. Evokes that Ecco the Dolphin feel of getting lost in the blue beauty. A standout title for the Wii.

Attachment 14282
Endless Ocean Blue World - Wii

More open and expansive than the first, with lots of extra bells and whistles. More areas, more animal and human companions, more action, more humor and drama, and a weirder storyline reminiscent of an axed-Indiana Jones script. I need a third game in this series!

Attachment 14283
Flicky - Genesis

Recently repurchased the Sega Genesis Collection for PSP and finally made my way through all levels (using save states). Frustrating but pure arcade fun. Love that music!

Attachment 14284
Shadow Blasters - Genesis

A strangely-paced game with some levels being a breeze and some being extremely tough (the forest level with pits). The graphics are basic and the music kind of tinny, but there's something about this game that I like. It's short enough that I'm considering trying to speedrun it (because no one else has).

Attachment 14285
Sonic Labyrinth - Game Gear

I'm planning on writing a site review for this, so I'll save my comments.

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Originally Posted by SegataS

You ought to play SH series on this TV.

https://i.imgur.com/Ytg6aCG.jpg

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The fuck is that?

A Disney CRT. I want one. Or something of that sort. Love it.

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Originally Posted by QuickSciFi

A Disney CRT. I want one. Or something of that sort. Love it.

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Personally think it looks ugly as sin. 🤷

http://www.kollision.biz/games/nes/b...altron_Box.jpg
9. Baltron (NES)
Scramble meets Defender; the Scramble part of the game is the best part, and makes this a rather fun romp despite the simplicity.

http://www.kollision.biz/games/ps1/r...eDelta_Box.jpg
10. R-Type Delta (PS1)
Great, great game and entry in the series. Amazing design (graphics and music), spot-on challenge, and finally a satisfying scoring system that rewards good usage of the force. I beat it with the classic R9 ship, but tinkered with the others too.

http://www.kollision.biz/games/xbox3...Futari_Box.jpg
11. Mushihimesama Futari (Xbox 360)
Wonderful yet brutal sequel to one of my favorite games ever. Dedicated myself to Ver 1.5 Original mode, next time I might go for Black Label.

http://www.kollision.biz/games/pcEng...laster_Box.jpg
12. Final Blaster (PC Engine)
I kept mistaking this one as part of the Soldier series, but it couldn't be more different. It's like Image Fight meets Dragon Spirit, but in a good way. Very good music and nice scoring mechanics.

http://www.kollision.biz/games/ps1/d...onPlus_Box.jpg
13. Daioh Gale Ver. 2 (PS1)
Just one of 13 sample games included in the Dezaemon Plus package. Plain and just a little bit less easy than vanilla Daioh Gale.

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Originally Posted by The Jackal

Personally think it looks ugly as sin. 🤷

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Then it's perfect for Silent Hill. :P So ugly it's scary!

I just finished all the chapters for the party I used in Octopath. Primrose is the most mature and best one I played. The soundtrack is insane on this game. Aquire did a fantastic job. This is easily the best RPG so far this year and no doubt has the best OST of any 2018 game thus far. I don't think DQXI will as the western release doesn't get the orchestral music. Just synth/midi. Yes, I am talking about the PS4 version. Rights issues I think. Maybe another time will play out the other characters. I should level them up first. My only issue is it's not really clear how to complete side quests. It just tells you the region where you accepted it and a vague description. Oh well. The few I did do were not that rewarding. I said this before on Twitter but if I had to some up this game in one sentence. It's the SNES version of making Final Fantasy, Game of Thrones mini.

19. Sega Genesis Classics - Vectorman 2 - PS4
https://i.imgur.com/5J0npiq.jpg

More of the same kind of fun. Loved it. :)

20. Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon

Quick and easy. A wonderful amuse bouche of what's to come. :D

21. Sega Genesis Classics - Gunstar Heroes - PS4
https://i.imgur.com/5J0npiq.jpg

No slowdown whatsoever. Amazing nonstop fast-paced gameplay. Beautiful graphics and hectic music. As good as ever.

I did notice that some of these games work better in modern diamond-arranged 4 action buttons by placing the jump button where the interphalangeal joint of your thumb hits, and the action button at the distal tip of your thumb. Same as with SNES action games. So translating the genesis pad as A = Attack, B = Jump, C = Action

22. Sega Genesis Classics - Dynamite Headdy - PS4
https://i.imgur.com/5J0npiq.jpg

So, yes, yet another amazing game by Treasure. This iteration was as flawless as the one above. This game is truly a hidden gem not played enough. The execution in the art design dept is beyond compare for any 16 bit game. The music was right on par with the cinematics to a level of complexity as that of a live orchestra. I did notice all these things the first time I played it, but having it play all over again through my eyes on a compilation such as this really put things into perspective.

I think I'll hit Alien Soldier up next.;)


23. Sonic Mania Plus - Encore Mode - PS4
https://i.imgur.com/HLkm5GO.jpg?1

It was a treat once again. It really reminds of my good olden days playing Sonic 2.

Well, we got the DLC and now in hard copy. Here is to hoping the next 2D Sonic efforts are being spent towards a new game.

24. Sega Genesis Classics - Streets of Rage - PS4
https://i.imgur.com/5J0npiq.jpg

Yup. Make X jump and square attack. This solved the issue I had with going from a 3 or 6 button linear arrangement to the SNES styled rhombus.

The game is as good as ever. And the music one of the best.

25. Sega Genesis Classics - Streets of Rage 2 - PS4
https://i.imgur.com/5J0npiq.jpg

Probably the best in the series. Hands down. No complaints from this port.

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Originally Posted by The Jackal

The fuck is that?

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Reped.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Jackal

Personally think it looks ugly as sin. 🤷

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What about these? :p

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Originally Posted by QuickSciFi

Got myself these two beauties on Offer Up. $20 for the little one and $25 for the big one. I've been meaning to get a themed CRT of some sort for quite some time. I think I found the perfect ones.

What better way to play your favorite retro Disney games than on Disney's official CRTs.:love::love::love:

https://i.imgur.com/70HoNDxh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/NxBJwjSh.jpg

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by QuickSciFi

What about these? :p

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Lol, nice man! Not really something I'd go for, but good for you.

;)

26. Sega Genesis Classics - Streets of Rage 3 - PS4
https://i.imgur.com/5J0npiq.jpg

Hard as nails. I don't know what happened here in terms of gameplay or soundtrack, but certainly a step down from the other two; especially part 2 (which is imo, quite possibly the best console beat 'em up of all time). That being said, the graphics were still fantastic, and the story was the most interesting in the series thus far. Thank goodness for this port with the rewind feature. I am glad I was able to enjoy it. :)

27. Sega Genesis Classics - ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron - PS4
https://i.imgur.com/5J0npiq.jpg

This is one of the first games I played on this compilation, but being so early on, I accidentally deleted my save (the button config was not so self-intuitive). So after finishing 18 games, I decided to give it another whirl.

Having played through this version with the rewind feature felt like a backstage pass to the dev room. It really allowed for a deeper appreciation of what the developers did here. I have played this game on the Genesis countless times, and it is not only one of my favorite games on the system, but one on my favorite games of all time. And yet, even after having played so many times on my own and in co-op with my brother, this version really helped me understand just how flawlessly and intricately designed this game was.

I think this is my favorite Genesis compilation yet. Even more so than the 7th gen one, which was also fantastic.

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Originally Posted by QuickSciFi

;)

26. Sega Genesis Classics - Streets of Rage 3 - PS4

Hard as nails. I don't know what happened here in terms of gameplay or soundtrack, but certainly a step down from the other two; especially part 2 (which is imo, quite possibly the best console beat 'em up of all time). That being said, the graphics were still fantastic, and the story was the most interesting in the series thus far. Thank goodness for this port with the rewind feature. I am glad I was able to enjoy it. :)

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I remember the soundtrack being talked about a good amount on here, so I won't bring that up, but what issues did you have with the gameplay? Just asking out of curiosity. I've only played this game on a Genesis; I can't imagine it's much different here, and I thought the gameplay was great. The only issue I had is that it's way too easy to accidentally roll.

In my time away, I completed the following:

15. Resident Evil: Director's Cut - PS1

I had been meaning to check this series out for a long time, so I figured I might as well start at the beginning. Didn't know much about these games and didn't realize it was so puzzle based. Also, this game was hilarious.

16. Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure - PS1

Not a good game but an enjoyable game; however, I'd only recommend it to certain types of people. It was relaxing, which was good, but didn't provide a sense of accomplishment, which was bad. I do admire how effectively (but not excessively) it made fun of itself. Also, if you ever want to watch bees' boobs bounce, this is the game for you.

17. Boogerman: A Pick and Flick Adventure - Genesis

A lot of colons lately (a true statement, but the pun was intended). This is a game that I like the idea of and that had a ton of potential, but it just fell short. It was really repetitive and just felt empty.

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Originally Posted by BubsyFan1

15. Resident Evil: Director's Cut - PS1

I had been meaning to check this series out for a long time, so I figured I might as well start at the beginning. Didn't know much about these games and didn't realize it was so puzzle based. Also, this game was hilarious.

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You mean horrifying, right?

;)

Oh, yes. Yes. You are right. Sorry, it is easy to mix it up. :sweatdrop:

@BubsyFan1: The issue I had with the gameplay is that it was a lot blockier and stiffer than 2, which in turn felt much more fluid. Something as simple as being able to hit the enemies behind you at the same time as in front of you as you swung a long weapon. And the overall animations just felt like they had less frames. Other than that I honestly think 3 is very good though. Really hard. But good.

I see what you mean regarding the frames. I'm not saying you didn't figure this out, but I found that the third game is very much its own and plays differently from the first two. When I first played 3, I tried to play it like the first two and got destroyed. After figuring it out, I enjoyed the gameplay much more, and now, I'm honestly not sure which game I like the most. I definitely know which game I wouldn't recommend to someone new to the series though. Which difficulty did you beat it on?

Normal difficulty

28. Bioshock: The Collection - Bioshock - PS4
https://i.imgur.com/tQ5H9ZU.jpg?1

This first game was a pioneer during the earlier 7th gen. For a 2007 game, it not only holds up graphically, but the gameplay is spot on. I loved it on the PS3. And I loved it even more on the PS4.

Bioshock 2, here I come!:)

...

29. Bioshock: The Collection - Bioshock 2 - PS4
https://i.imgur.com/tQ5H9ZU.jpg?1

Had a little trouble with the save feature. Moral of the story, don't use too many save files. Apparently it goes under the same file as part 1. So if you can't save anymore at the end of part 1, don't start up part 2.

Other than that, flawless fun as before.:)

Attachment 14400
Toy Story (Genesis)
This is one of my few childhood Genesis games and it's based on one of my favorite
kid's movies. Still such a good game. Still so pretty and nostalgic and so damn difficult.
10/10

Attachment 14399
Virtua Fighter (Saturn)
A decent port, I guess, but something just feels off.
5/10

Attachment 14398
Sonic Adventure (Dreamcast)
I'm thinking about writing a site review for this, since I have a lot of thoughts.
*/10

Attachment 14397
Scooby Doo Classic Creep Capers (Gameboy Color)
A very fun, quick, and simple point-and-click mystery with the gang.
Great game. I really need to play more of the Gameboy library.
8/10

30. Bioshock: The Collection - Bioshock Infinite - PS4
https://i.imgur.com/tQ5H9ZU.jpg?1


What a work of art. Too late in the day to look up my last thoughts on the PS3 version last time I played it, but after this PS4 marathon, it is safe to day this series is a top contender for my all time favorite FPS series of all time. Thinking back, only Doom and Halo come to mind. And seeing how this was such perfection and joy to play these past few days, I'd put it right at the top today. G-d, I love gaming! To think there was a time decades ago when I hated first person shooters. I love my gaming life.:D

Hands down, one of the best gaming experiences even today on the PS4. I think I only paid $15 for this new. Extremely highly recommended.

Yakuza Kiwami 2. Amazing final boss. Ryujii is the best antagonist the series had. Sadly a shit ending. Still a great game. I have not beaten 4 Yakuza games in the span of a year. I have not finished Yakuza 5 yet. I fear I may have played the best the series has to offer and once I get to 3,4 and finishing 5 it will feel like playing lesser games. I already know how Y5 ends and it's kinda dumb.

Dying Light: The Following (PC)

A great DLC for a great game. Took me forever to get around to finishing it (irl issues, not been feeling up to playing games), but I'm glad I did. One of the best gaming experiences I've had in the past ten years for me. Really looking forward to the 2nd one that's coming out next year/down the line.

18. Rygar: The Legendary Adventure - PS2

Played this one specifically because I wanted to play some sort of action game that was short but wasn't meant to be completed in one sitting. It got the job done, but I wouldn't say it was great or anything.

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Originally Posted by BubsyFan1

18. Rygar: The Legendary Adventure - PS2

Played this one specifically because I wanted to play some sort of action game that was short but wasn't meant to be completed in one sitting. It got the job done, but I wouldn't say it was great or anything.

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I completed this game years ago and was glad I did. At the time, it was an incredibly solid 3D action game with beautiful graphics and hilariously awful dialog.

I’ve been very tempted to revisit this game, but after 15-ish years of God of War games, I’m not sure how well it would hold up.

I still like it while I can't stand GOW series. 4 looks decent tho. Music is still something great in that PS2 game. Tho yeah it's aged a bit and not for the better but still fun.

Finished up G Darius. LOve the game.

Mega Man 11 (PS4):

I really, really, really liked this game.

I'm positive that this game is 50% a gift to the fans and 50% a middle finger to Inafune. I do not believe for a second that it's a coincidence that the best & most striking elements of Mega Man 11 happen to be the exact inverse of the biggest criticisms of Mighty No 9. The graphics and physical effects are outstanding, the character voices are on-point and mostly unobtrusive and there is no talking during the main gameplay. The stages are clever, challenging, and inventive. The selection of subweapons is more fun and more useful than they've ever been. The music is ... nice. I'm guessing they got the same composer from Mighty No 9, because it sounds pretty much the same. They completely revamped the Mega Man sound effects, so it would have been kinda cool if they had given the score the same treatment.

I'm not sure I like this more than Mega Man 2, 3, 4, or 6... but this definitely stands right there next to them.

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Originally Posted by MrMatthews

Mega Man 11 (PS4):

I really, really, really liked this game.

I'm positive that this game is 50% a gift to the fans and 50% a middle finger to Inafune. I do not believe for a second that it's a coincidence that the best & most striking elements of Mega Man 11 happen to be the exact inverse of the biggest criticisms of Mighty No 9. The graphics and physical effects are outstanding, the character voices are on-point and mostly unobtrusive and there is no talking during the main gameplay. The stages are clever, challenging, and inventive. The selection of subweapons is more fun and more useful than they've ever been. The music is ... nice. I'm guessing they got the same composer from Mighty No 9, because it sounds pretty much the same. They completely revamped the Mega Man sound effects, so it would have been kinda cool if they had given the score the same treatment.

I'm not sure I like this more than Mega Man 2, 3, 4, or 6... but this definitely stands right there next to them.

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Yup, I agree on everything. Loved the game and the blue guy is fully back and he gets to be in one more game this year. Only stage I hated was the bouncy stage but I did like the boss.

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Originally Posted by MrMatthews

I completed this game years ago and was glad I did. At the time, it was an incredibly solid 3D action game with beautiful graphics and hilariously awful dialog.

I’ve been very tempted to revisit this game, but after 15-ish years of God of War games, I’m not sure how well it would hold up.

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I'd be interested in your thoughts if you happen to replay it. It did remind me of a watered down God of War, but I didn't even finish the first game in that series. It was one of those games I played when I was moving around all the time and ended up never picking it up again.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MrMatthews

Mega Man 11 (PS4):


I'm not sure I like this more than Mega Man 2, 3, 4, or 6... but this definitely stands right there next to them.

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But the real question is... how does it compare to Battle Network?

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Originally Posted by BubsyFan1

I'd be interested in your thoughts if you happen to replay it. It did remind me of a watered down God of War, but I didn't even finish the first game in that series. It was one of those games I played when I was moving around all the time and ended up never picking it up again.

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I think God of War just embellished and perfected Rygar’s formula. I’ll try to put some time into it soon and see if I can tolerate it, as I’m sure it hasn’t aged too gracefully.

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Originally Posted by BubsyFan1

But the real question is... how does it compare to Battle Network?

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Quite favorably. Battle Network was for tiny little children.

^ I don't know, I didn't think it aged that badly. But then again, I haven't really exposed myself to that genre too much, and there were a couple of things that were quite annoying, so... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

19. Alisia Dragoon - Genesis

So, my thoughts on this one have transformed quite a bit. When I first got it, I thought the concept was cool and liked that it was different but didn't think it was very fun. Then, I learned how to use the mechanics a little better and didn't know how to feel about it. I'd think about it from time to time, but for whatever reason, I'd never pop it in. Finally, after all these years, I gave it another go and learned how to play it much better including utilizing your little buddies, and now I'm a big fan of this game. I'd like more variety during boss fights as they're way too pattern-based, but other than that, I had a lot of fun with this one.

Expendable-Dreamcast.

This game is punishing. It's a fun top-down run n gun. I think the levels could be more cohesive and some flying enemies can be hard to hit. I feel for a game like this all enemies should be on your level. So it has its frustrations but overall I had a ton of fun with it. This is not a knock but more of a preference. I do wish it was more colorful but as it is the game looked nice and crisp in HD. It would be abit harder to play this game on my CRT. Surprised I never heard of it until a month ago. Obscure and affordable. I know it's also on PS1 but DC version obviously looks a lot better.