The Coop

Who the bloody hell pissed in your Cheerios this morning, Nec5? Where is this "you're too elitist" coming from? I don't sympathize with Redsand, because his own actions caused this problem. Like I said, it sucks, but it's the truth. If the codes got accidentally lost somehow, I'd have compassion for him. If they'd rubbed off and become unreadable over the years, I'd feel for him. But those aren't the cases. He chucked them out with the garbage on purpose, so what's to sympathize with? As a result, he's got a few choices... buy another copy, grab a key generator, ask for a friend's CD key, or try E-mailing the company. I may have been blunt with Redsand, but I also I suggested the same courses of action others did... plus a couple different ideas. I'm pretty sure that's not elitism in action. So is it because I don't sympathize with Redsand that I'm elitist, or is it because I save my CD keys, and wonder why he didn't?

This is where many others have announced their albums (like The 1ups, Pixie, Zircon, etc.), so I see nothing wrong with putting it here.

Makes sense in a twisted marketing way. Why have the PS3 system play everything, when you can have a PS3 play its games, and keep selling the PS2 while it's still popular? Mo' money mo' money.

You people? Who are you, Ross Perot? How is it not the responsibility of the game owner? You bought the thing, so keep track of it. Write it down, save it on a file... hell, save the installed game if it's not too big. Making sure that code isn't lost is the responsibility of the buyer, and it always has been. You're not asked to memorize the thing for a test, only keep it in a safe place for future use. Surely that's not a great hardship, is it? And frankly, you seem to be ignoring the fact that Redsand threw away his codes. He didn't lose them, and they didn't fade. He threw them out. That's his own fault, and he screwed himself over... period (no offense intended Redsand). It sucks, but it's the truth. The game company flat out tells buyers to save the codes and not to lose them. If the buyers are careless or ignore this warning, then they're SOL unless they seek out a key generator (which is easy enough to find). So I fail to see how Redsand's not being able to install his games is the fault of the game company. I honestly don't see where you're coming up with "screwed by the company" in this, Nec5. He bought the game, he got a key, he threw the key away. Seems pretty cut and dry regarding who's at fault. RedSand- Here's something to try. Contact the game company, and explain to them in detail what happened. Tell them that you're more than willing to provide scanned proof that you own the game CDs (include a specific note in the scan to show it's not just grabbed off of the Web). With a bit of luck, they may give you a new legit key. It has worked for people in the past, but mostly with older titles. Otherwise, you're left with finding a key generator, or using a key from someone else you know that also owns the game (just don't register it). And if you do go for a key generator, as supremespleen said, be careful. Not every file and site is what it's supposed to be.

It has nothing to do with screwing over the little guy. It does however, have everything to do with having the presence of mind to not throw away something as important as a game's CD key.

Dark Savior (Saturn)- From the folks that gave you Landstalker, comes a game that's somewhat in the same vein. It's an isometric adventure RPG, with a bit of simplified fighting thrown into the mix. The graphics are a mixture of nicely drawn sprites and well done polygonal landscapes, with good music and a decent story helping to flesh things out. The fighting is kept simple, and is played at the same isometric angle as the rest of the game, but with the characters blown up a bit. There's also something that gives the game serious replay value... parallels. There are five parallels in this game, with each one altering aspects of the gameplay, and the way the story pans out. Four of them are reached by accomplishing something at the beginning of the game within certain amounts of time, with the fifth one only being playable after the first four are done. It doesn't have the charm of Landstalker, but it is a well made adventure that's enjoyable from start to finishes. Borderline YES. Diablo (PC)- Click click click click click click click click click click click... that's pretty much how you play this game. Sounds boring right? Well, you'd be wrong. Owing it's gameplay to the older arcade greats like Gauntlet and Robotron 2084, this game makes no attempts to hide that it's a hack 'n slash adventure. You'll spend most of your time fighting off hundreds upon hundreds of demons, zombies and other assorted beasties, while taking a break to gather up new weapons and armor, as well as various mana and health restoring potions. But just to keep things from being too straight forward, the game also gives you skill levels to climb through. You'll get better attributes, and new magics that you can level up through out the game. And these levelings will be needed, because this game's a bitch as you get closer to the end. The difficulty starts out nice, but climbs as you go. By the time you reach Diablo, the game's going to be in full-on ass kicking mode. Graphically, it's a bit rough in spots, and the CGI characters move a bit stiffly. But the backgrounds are very well done, and there are lots of little details scattered about. The music is wonderful, and the sound effects are good too. The controls are kept simple, making it so you'll only have to use the mouse for a good portion of the game. This also helps keep things moving at a faster pace. Though I do feel the game's sequel is considerably better, Diablo is still a game that shouldn't be left behind. YES.

more like IA prototype. More like the Digital Justice Project.

I'll deliver you! Hope you get some Diamorphine or something, because that's gonna hurt like a mother fucker.

QUITTER!

We need a judge with a first or last name that's pronounced "dred", just for the sake of punnage.

Hyperbole much?

I think it would have been interesting to hear what they could have come up with. When an artist steps out from the area they're best known for or most comfortable with, the results can be quite enjoyable. They might infuse a bit of their past sound into the new one, or perhaps just go balls out into a genre that's completely new to them. Who knows what bLiNd might have come with in an orchestral piece, or you with a solo piano number. Granted, it could have all become a Pat Boone-like catastrophe too, but still...

Ace Combat 2 (PS1)- The first game wasn't much to look at, but it was kind of fun. This sequel is where it really came together. Very nice PS1 graphics for it's time, lots of planes to choose from, a more fleshed out story, better and more numerous missions... it jumped so far ahead of it's prequel, that you might question whether they were actually made by the same company. A well-rounded, very fun package. YES. Tekken 3 (PS1)- Nice graphics, some decent tunes, and it's got a big roster... but man is it's gameplay old and tired. Dial-a-combo is not something to base a franchise around, and the characters move more like marionettes than anything else. This game, along with 4, is where the series had simply become like Madden, and was just going "by the numbers" until it was given a needed shot in the arm with 5. It's not a bad game, but the formula had gone stale by this entry. NO. Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter * (import Saturn)- While not as attention grabbing as the first game, or as massive in roster as MvC2, this entry in the "vs" series holds its own well enough to be a lot of fun. The new characters change things up a bit, even though the ones replaced weren't all given equally good replacements. Beyond that, you've got the same gameplay that was found in the first one, and a bunch of new characters to try it out with. Not quite as good as XMvSF, but still worth getting if you've got a Saturn. Borderline YES. It's not Unreal (PC)- When this game came out, it turned a lot of heads. Very good graphics for its day, good music, a wide variety of level types and enemies, and a rather nice single-player story (not all that common for FPSs in 97'). The controls were good, the weapons were fun, and the challenge level was just right. It gave a big face lift to the genre, and while it didn't do much that was revolutionary, it did everything quite well. It may not be the "Tournament" that so many love, but this is where it all started, and it was a quality start. YES. Iridion 3-D (GBA)- I'm probably going to be alone on this one too, but if you enjoy games like Galaxy Force II, and similarly done 3-D shmups, this game's right up your alley. Very nice graphics, good music and control, and it's just the right difficulty. The levels are varied well, and it's got enough levels to give you a solid play through, without getting drawn out. It's old school gameplay given a new (and smaller) face. Borderline YES.

Or perhaps... "... the primary character in Final Fantasy VI, which was retitled Final Fantasy III for the SNES in the United States upon its initial release in 1994" That was the only time I'm aware of where VI was called III, as the GBA and PS1 versions were left unchanged numerically.

Killer Instinct Gold (N64)- Back when the original KI came out, it was quite the attention getter. A whole new graphical style over the other fighters out there, insanely long combos, a voice over man who got way too excited about combos that were 7-hits and up... it was pretty different. Along comes the sequel, and its eventual port to the N64. Frankly, it's not a bad fighting game. Plenty of endings, decent control (though I question Rare's tinkering with it and changing it over KI1), and some decent tunes. But there are a few things that keep it down. The character designs aren't all that great, the character animations are rather odd looking and stiff, the dial-a-combo gameplay is tired thanks to franchises like MK and Tekken, and the addition of "Fatals" is just blatant MK mimicking. And really, as a port of KI2, it's a bit lackluster because of everything they had to remove due to cartridge limitations. It may not be a bad game, as it certainly can be fun. But a must have? I don't think so. NO. Doom- Wolfenstein 3D may have started the ball rolling, but it was this game that signaled the birth of the FPS genre. A simple story of Mars, demons and one lone space marine trying to take down the invading hordes... and I do mean hordes. Rooms filled with 20+ monsters trying to kill you, dark areas with mostly invisible beasts, a metric fuckton of ammo and weapons, huge demons that can kill you in a single hit... this game throws a lot at you. And when you manage to get through it all, you can try it again to find all the hidden levels and bonuses. But in the midst off all this chaos, you have simple controls that let you focus on the killing of monsters instead of trying to hit the right button to get the right weapon or item. You've also got a multi-player aspect that is still being used regularly by players across the world to this day. Of course, all of this means nothing if the levels are dull, but that's not the case. Over thirty levels total in Ultimate Doom, and these levels start simple, but become much more complex as each episode gets closer to the end. They range from narrow sewers, to wide open areas with scores of monsters coming at you, so the game keeps things from getting too monotonous. Throw in the nearly iconic monsters like the Imp, Lost Soul, Cacodemon, and the Cyber-Demon, and you've got a diverse (but small) cast that's ready to take you down. It's simple, it's violent, it's gory, and it's designed well. If this isn't an older PC must have, I don't know what is. YES. Painkiller- So what happens when you die? For Daniel Garner, the answer is simple... you get stuck in limbo, and have to fight all manner of demons to try and get into heaven. Of course, you also get to chat with a topless big-titty woman, so I guess it's not all bad. In this game, you fight a wide assortment of odd and downright "wrong" enemies. From skull-faced bikers, to monks with axes, and even electrocution victims in straight jackets that explode. You'll fight these things in huge cathedrals, grave yards, and hangars among other places. You'll also be faced with huge (I mean HUGE) bosses that will take a while to bring down. And as if that weren't enough, the game's weapons are as odd as it's inhabitants, with the stake gun that can impale enemies being one of my favorites. Lots of enemies can come at you at anytime, so it's certainly not a boring game. It stick pretty much with what you'd expect from a FPS game in terms of controls, but it throws in tarot card that can grant you special powers which must be earned by accomplishing various tasks in each mission. Oh, and you can temporarily become demonic yourself after you collect 100 souls from the monsters you kill (this greatly ups the damage you do with your weapons). It's not wholly original in terms of gameplay, but it is fun to play. It sits somewhere in-between Serious Sam (goofy story/characters and hectic action) and Quake (serious story/characters and not as hectic) in terms of design and such. It may not have been a ground-breaking FPS, but it was a good one. Borderline YES. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow- The last GBA entry is the series, and it's the one that got everything right. Gorgeous graphics, nice music, a huge castle to explore ala "Symphony", an interesting "soul" collection gameplay twist, and a nice plot that finally brought the series into more modern times (chronologically speaking of course). The controls were good, and the added modes that came with beating the game gave it a healthy dose of longevity. While none of the GBA Castlevania games are bad, it's hard not to see this one as the best of the trio. YES.

They have medicines now that can help you with that. Just don't believe that whole "gentle" line they try and sell you.

A new "Euro-shmup" is always welcome, but $49.90 is a bit high for a retro genre like this. Gradius V and R-Type Final were professionally made shmups by well known and respected companies with a good track record in the genre... and they were only $29.99 at release. So S-X:H seems to be a bit in the overcharge range, considering there's no demo, and the people making it are... untested. Of course, we are talking about Play-Asia, who are notorious for jacking up prices on everything.

Conker’s Bad Fur Day (N64)- The game that shocked a lot of parents. This was to the N64, what MKII was to the SNES... a game that showed the big N was willing to give the gamers what they wanted, even if the big N wasn't thrilled with the idea. Conker's foul mouth, sexual innuendo-laced world, and giant singing piles of shit, was about as un-Nintendo as it got at the time. But this game didn't just rely on potty humor. It backed it up with very nice graphics, good music, and for the most, solid gameplay. It's a game that really does have more to it than just what's on the surface, and I feel it's a game that any N64 owner should at the very least try. YES. Colony Wars (PS1)- You know, Psygnosis has a strange knack for getting systems they work on to look better than they should. CW is at heart, an arcade-ish space shooter. You fly, you shoot, you get better weapons, and so on. For the PS1 at the time, the graphics were amazing, as was the music. There was even a pretty good story to go along with as the game advanced. The missions weren't as varied as they could have been, and the graphics had a glitch or two, but it's a fine example of free roaming space blasting that a PS1 owner should play... and a good start to a great PS1-only franchise. Borderline YES. Darius Gaiden (Saturn)- The Darius franchise is known for it's odd (but good) music, multi-screen cabinets, and huge mechanical sea life. When Taito decided to bring the series into the single screen world, they did so with a bang. Some of the best designs for this series bosses reside in this entry. Detailed, serious firepower, multiple parts to destroy, and just damn cool looking to boot. The music is strange, but it's done well and still catchy. The levels are plentiful and varied, with all sorts of visual depth and effects that the Saturn wasn't supposed to be able to do (namely, transparencies). There's plenty of risk rewards to be earned, which adds replay value, along with the fact that there are 28 levels to lay through. The power up system is more forgiving than past entries, and the added gameplay elements add a bit more depth to the typical shmup routine. If you own a Saturn, get this game. Period. YES. Shining Force III (Saturn)- The last entry in the form that the Shining seires was best known for, but what an entry it is. Very nice 3D graphics, good music, a big story, lots of charcaters to play with, and the challenging turn-based strategy gaming that made the series as popular as it was. The only real downside, is that you never get to see how it ends. This game is part one of three, but we never got the other two in The States. This was disappointing to say the least, but what's there is still undoubtedly worth playing through. Borderline YES. Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (PC)- You know, I enjoy playing through "Arena", and "Oblivion" was a blast. But this one... this game just doesn't do anything for me. The graphics are good for the day, and the music is pretty nice too. But the gameplay is just so broken. You can't hit anything... at all. You're character starts so weak and under powered, that even fighting the simplest of creatures is an exercise in frustration. You swing like a little girl who's just flailing her arms about, and manage to avoid any objects around you. Add to this, that it takes forever to walk anywhere, and that you get no help in finding out where you're supposed to go next, and you're left with an ambitious game that falls flat on its face. I know there are mods and such that fix these issues, but this review isn't about mods. It's about the core game. And to me, that core game is busted. NO. Dragon Force (Saturn)- Take a group of warriors, hundreds of troops for them to command, simplify the battle engine, and what do you get? A challenging, but fun strategy RPG that's a bit different than the rest. Graphically, it's gorgeous. Musically, it's quite nice. The difficulty level progresses well, and the game has a well balanced feel. But it's the gameplay that makes this game such fun. You move troops around on the overworld map, and an areal side map where the troops and their generals do battle. You can capture generals and try to make then join your cause, you can give awards to generals so they can command more troops, and you can watch as scores of troops clash in battle. Despite all you can do, the actions are kept simple so that the game can play quicker than your average Strategy RPG. Add in the replay value that comes from having a good number of different characters to play through the game as, and you've got a must-have for the Saturn. It's a bit different for this type of game, but it sure is fun. YES. Sonic 3D Blast (Saturn)- Okay. I'm probably going to be alone on this one, but I thoroughly enjoyed this game. No, it's not the Sonic we all grew up with, but it's a fun game nonetheless. The 3/4 view changes things up a lot, but you can still run and jump like in the older games. The boss battles still have the classic feel to them as well. Rescuing the little birds gives each level goal that resides beyond simply "get through fast", and this gives the franchise's well known gameplay a twist. The graphics on the Genesis version were good, but on the Saturn, they're very good. The music too benefits from the Saturn, as it sounds quite nice. It's got a good challenge to it as well... partly from the perspective change, but mostly from the level layouts and boss battles. In short, while it may not be the pinnacle of the Sonic line up, it is a game that's fun to play. Borderline YES. Command & Conquer (PC)- The game that may not have started the RTS genre, but it did help solidify the format that the genre would forever reuse. C&C is a game that gave you a rare chance back in the day... to play as good or evil. You could either fight the Brotherhood of NOD as GDI, or you could try and take over the world by following the NOD leader, Kane. Both sides carry with them more than a dozen missions that grow in difficulty and scope, and both sides have their own special troops, bases and vehicles. Regardless of which side you choose, you're treated to detailed maps and characters, while some very good music plays in the background. The missions usually focus on killing everything that's not your team, but you do get the occasional change of pace (like controlling a lone soldier for the entire mission). Speaking of which, the controls are kept simple, allowing you to command one soldier, or many troops, with a quick swipe of the mouse. This is good considering how stupidly hard the later missions get, when quick thinking will be needed. Lots of fun to be had with this one. YES Half-Life (PC)- Ah, the game that would eventually lead to the most over-hyped sequel on PC. For it's time, Half-Life was a break-through title. Top notch graphics, an engrossing story, and good voice acting helped to pull you through the quickly changing world of Gordon Freeman. Large and varied levels gave you a good challenge as you tried to make it to the next point, or ran from the beasties that had suddenly ganged up on you. The controls are typical for the genre, but they're done well, and the weapons you get later on are fun to use. In short, a good example of a late-90s classic. YES.

As I said in my WIP thread, first I didn't have much time to do anything, and once I get some free time, I'm sick. There was some progress, but not much. I still may post where it's currently at tomorrow evening, just for the sake of getting a new WIP up.

Check here... C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\somename\bookmarkbackups FireFox usually makes automatic backups of your bookmarks, and they're kept in the folder above.

Castlevania Chronicles- A long overdue port of the little seen outside Japan X68000 Sharp game, Akumajō Dracula. It plays like the older games in the series, but looks like a 16-bit entry (because the X68000 Sharp was a 16-bit computer). The graphics are quite nice, and when you play in the original mode, you can select from three different setups for the original game's midi soundtrack (which is quite good). Cool bosses and stages, good control, and a solid challenge with a much better sense of difficulty balance over the original game. It's a hidden gem in the Castlevania family tree, and shouldn't be passed up. YES. Ridge Racer- I've been a fan of the RR series. Rage Racer quite fun, with a good sense of speed and nice PS1 graphics for the time, but the series as a whole was just never all that engrossing. Nice graphics and such for the most part, but the gameplay's never been to my liking. The way it handles sliding through turns just doesn't feel as intuitive as titles like Sega Rally and Daytona USA, and the game is painfully low in its track count. It's not a horrid game by any means, but its parts just don't add up to making it a 'must have' title. NO. Battle Garegga *- Shmups. Japan loves them, but most US companies couldn't care less about them. However, this import Saturn title isn't one that US gamers should pretend doesn't exist. Made by the well known companies 8ing/Raizing, Battle Garegga is best described as a "manic" shmup. Lots of bullets (but not "Bullet Hell" levels), falling medals to be collected for score, power-ups that fall off the screen... it's a hectic game to play through... but what a game it is. Very nice graphics, good tunes, a rank system that keeps the game from ever being a walk through, multiple planes to choose from (including hidden ones), and a nice graphical style that's done using more realistic colors (not bright day-glo ones like many other shmups use). If you like shmups, and you're fond of vertical shmups especially, this game is a must. YES. NiGHTS Into Dreams- Overshadowed by Mario 64, and ignored by a lot of gamers at first, this game is a short, but oh so sweet masterpiece of gaming. A great graphical style and sense of flight, good music, an almost surreal story, fun yet challenging boss battles... it's no wonder this game has since appeared on many "top" lists. The goals and controls are so simple, but they're done so well. This is a game that's not easy to give a real impression of, as it's something that needs to be played to be truly appreciated. A YES without a doubt.

A few more PC nominations... Duke Nukem 3D Heretic Hexen Prince of Persia Unreal Populous Diablo II System Shock 2

Mega Man X4- Everything that needs to be said about this, already has. Great game from the graphics, to the music, the levels and bosses. YES. Amok- One of the last games made by Scavnger, who was famous for the amazing work they did on the Genesis. Beyond the rather odd, but cool soundtrack, the gameplay is straight-up arcade-like. You fight both under water and on land with a funky looking mech that can go in both, while gunning down sharks, scuba divers, land troopers, airborne ships and the like. You've got plenty of different weapons to choose from, and some nasty encounters as the game progresses. The sprites used for the characters are remarkably clean looking, even up close. The game uses a weird technology to generate parts of the landscape, which looks noticeably more pixelated than the characters. But the core gameplay of move, shoot and dodge is still intact, and the challenge is certainly there. It's been bagged on a lot, but I found it to be a lot of fun. Borderline YES. Panzer Dragoon- Do I really need to defend this game? It was one of the prime reasons to own a Saturn when the game was first released. Nice graphics, an amazing soundtrack, great enemy design, a real challenge if you go after straight 100%s, and a storyline that leaves you both entertained, and baffled as to just what the hell's going on (it's explained for the most part in the later games). It's atmospheric as hell, and its world is surreal, yet very believable. Great stuff, and a YES without a doubt.

Probably the Oct 11 meeting. SURPRISE!!!!

Firstly... Anyway, I see no reason for Amazon to not try this. Amazon offers a lot that can be ordered as it is, but as we've all seen, downloading music is a rather popular shopping venue these days. Sure you can go elsewhere to get your tunes, but saying there's no need for Amazon to offer music downloads is like saying there's no need for them to sell used games because of sites like eBay, Yahoo Auctions, Half.com and them already existing. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me. By allowing people to sell their used games there, Amazon brought in a new market, expanded their services for regular customers, and gave folks another place to look for older games. So really, I can understand Amazon not wanting to watch as their customers browse off to some other place for downloadable music. Why only offer physical CDs, when you can offer customers a choice... and bring in new potential revenue with that choice? There's no such thing as too many on-line choices for stuff like this, so I see no reason for them to not at least try. I mean hell, it's their dime. Whether it sinks or floats will depend on Amazon and how they handle it.