Necro's game clears and mindless musings

[PunkicCyborg]

well even though wanpaku graffiti isn't OBEY it's still awesome if you are a splatterhouse fan

[csgx1]

Speaking of OBEY, you played Splatterhouse on HARD MODE, yes? If not, you haven't really beaten it properly. GO BACK AND BEAT IT LIKE A MAN (see what I did there?), NECRO.

Like all my clears, it was beaten on the normal difficulty level and without continues, but I'm willing to give it a go. 

Hard mode isn't that much harder than normal, from what I remember when I beat it on hard.  Enemies just take a few more hits.

[Necromancer]

Do you get more points or a different ending on hard mode?

[esteban]

Speaking of OBEY, you played Splatterhouse on HARD MODE, yes? If not, you haven't really beaten it properly. GO BACK AND BEAT IT LIKE A MAN (see what I did there?), NECRO.

Like all my clears, it was beaten on the normal difficulty level and without continues, but I'm willing to give it a go. 

Hard mode isn't that much harder than normal, from what I remember when I beat it on hard.  Enemies just take a few more hits.

One-hit-death for poor Rick would be the best test of your skills.

[Necromancer]

Clear #11 - Dungeon Explorer


(started with the fighter and switched to the princess after freeing her)

A top ten huey that everyone should have, but y'all knew that already.   So much fun (by yourself or with friends), with some of the best chippy tunes around and good replay value with the different characters (the princess and hermit are my favorites).  My only complaint is that it's a bit short, but that's where the sequel comes in.

[Arkhan]

Dungeon Explorer has the most ambient soundtrack on the PCE.   Best Echo/Panning use ever.

[esteban]

'nuff said.

[Necromancer]

Clear #12 - Dead Moon



A cool shewty with great parallax, sweet tunes, nice boss designs (the skeletal end bosses more so than the ho-hum mid bosses), a handy tally for shewty efficiency, and sensible transitions from one level to the next (fly up to the moon, across the moon's surface, descend into a crater, etc.)  The only drawbacks are the enemies being rather bland, geometric shapes and it being easy; the latter is good for me and my weaksauce skillz, and those looking for more challenge can stick around for another loop, which cranks up the difficulty a notch.

[roflmao]

Wow, Necro, I think you just sold me on this game.

[ProfessorProfessorson]

I really have to admit, I find Dead Moon to be a real bore. Its just about the most plain shooter out there. The strongest point was the background graphics. The player ship design was not too bad, but honestly just felt like a rip off of the ships from the Toaplan shooters. I am really surprised Natsume was willing to bother with it. My only guess is they got the rights on the cheap. When I think about this game I often just relate it to other meh shooters out there like Rock On on PCE, Darwin 4081 on Mega Drive, or Zed Blade on NeoGeo. Basically just shooters that are clearly first efforts, instead of products from a seasoned group or programmers. Doesn't mean they are terrible. Just terribly average.

[esteban]

I really have to admit, I find Dead Moon to be a real bore. Its just about the most plain shooter out there. The strongest point was the background graphics. The player ship design was not too bad, but honestly just felt like a rip off of the ships from the Toaplan shooters. I am really surprised Natsume was willing to bother with it. My only guess is they got the rights on the cheap. When I think about this game I often just relate it to other meh shooters out there like Rock On on PCE, Darwin 4081 on Mega Drive, or Zed Blade on NeoGeo. Basically just shooters that are clearly first efforts, instead of products from a seasoned group or programmers. Doesn't mean they are terrible. Just terribly average.

"Terribly average" is the best way to put it—with a bit more inspiration, these games could really have been better. I think there is a polish to Dead Moon (decent controls, no blatantly offensive aesthetics, an internal cohesiveness of ideas/themes/play mechanics) that seemingly  elevated it above mediocrity, but Dead Moon is, at heart, pretty damn generic.

I still enjoyed the game, but that's because I am a slut for the genre and I have played such abominable shot-em-ups that Dead Moon gets credit for simply being meh.

I have commented on Rock On (a poor, intellectually-challenged man's R-Type) as NOT being horrendous (I've enjoyed it, for what it is), but I can't help but wonder how much more enjoyable a finely-executed R-Type clone would have been.

Similarly, Dead Moon could have been SO MUCH MORE.

End of rant.

[Necromancer]

Clear #13 - Final Zone II



"Sorry, this happens to be my hobby."

The Good - pretty good tunes (if often cheesy), decent replayability from being able to pick different characters on most levels (replete with unique music and weapons)

The Bad - bland backgrounds, too easy (though the latter half picks up a bit), very short, clunky shewty stage

The Ugly - the real reason to play this game is for the abysmal voice acting, lousy yet funny script, and a good bitch slapping when your woman gets mouthy

[Mathius]

...and possible the worst cover art ever seen on US soil.  

[esteban]

I liked the music in Final Zone II.

What's your theory on the totally random vertical shoot-em-up helicopter stuff?

Was it a random unfinished demo that they threw into the game for the hell of it?

[Necromancer]

It's just there to change up the action, with the jet-pack-over-the-water being a similar idea (but with boats!).  I like the idea, actually, it's just the implementation that stinks; fix the slow ass 'copter, add a few more, different enemies, and it'd be a lot more fun.