What Turbo game are you currently playing?

[Necromancer]

Oh shit...I can smell Necro fuming all the way over here ._.

Nah, I know the game is flawed and unfinished, but I can still enjoy the story, cut scenes, and handful of puzzles that made it in.  Contrary to EmperorIng's complaints, it's not totally devoid of things to figure out, and it's cheap enough (and short enough) that I don't feel bad recommending it as something a bit different from the usual fare.

[esteban]

Oh shit...I can smell Necro fuming all the way over here ._.

Nah, I know the game is flawed and unfinished, but I can still enjoy the story, cut scenes, and handful of puzzles that made it in.  Contrary to EmperorIng's complaints, it's not totally devoid of things to figure out, and it's cheap enough (and short enough) that I don't feel bad recommending it as something a bit different from the usual fare.

Exactly. L'Emperor didn't appreciate what the game does offer, which is a charming, unique experience on the PCE. And the unexpected/humorous stuff is nicely done.

It would be such a shame for folks to pass over Goetzzy, thinking it had absolutely nothing to offer.

[VenomMacbeth]

Last night, I plugged in the Duo & enjoyed some Godzilla, Ryuko no Ken, and Sapphire.  I couldn't really get into Godzilla.  Art of Fighting was good, but I can't seem to make it past the second level.  Graphics are top-notch, though.

Sapphire wins, of course.  It's a gorgeous game with accessible gameplay.  Something about it is just a little "meh" to me, though...maybe it's the Raiden-style power up system?  Or perhaps the uninspired silicon/polygon enemies?  Who knows.  I think I just need to devote some more time to it.

EDIT: I also enjoy the soundtrack much more than that of Gate of Thunder.  It seems more evenly energetic, whereas GoT seems to be a little schizophrenic.

[esteban]

Last night, I plugged in the Duo & enjoyed some Godzilla, Ryuko no Ken, and Sapphire.  I couldn't really get into Godzilla.  Art of Fighting was good, but I can't seem to make it past the second level.  Graphics are top-notch, though.

Sapphire wins, of course.  It's a gorgeous game with accessible gameplay.  Something about it is just a little "meh" to me, though...maybe it's the Raiden-style power up system?  Or perhaps the uninspired silicon/polygon enemies?  Who knows.  I think I just need to devote some more time to it.

EDIT: I also enjoy the soundtrack much more than that of Gate of Thunder.  It seems more evenly energetic, whereas GoT seems to be a little schizophrenic.

The enemy designs are almost as bland as Terraforming!

Still, a fun game.

[EmperorIng]

Hey, I didn't say "absolutely nothing," I said "little creativity outside of some visual design." That's better than nothing, I guess. And humor? Uh, I guess the princess falling 12 stories down in some cave was mildly amusing as well the big splat-corpse the eye-monster makes, but the game in general is pretty humorless.

Unless there is something incredibly and subversively funny about the whole "princess is the hero" thing that I am sure would surprise someone who didn't know that coming into the game, which my guess is absolutely no one for more than a decade now.

I'm not saying you are wrong, but you represent the profile of an "impatient stimulus seeker" who needs the volume at 11 (always) and hyper-kinetic action (always) otherwise..."nothing is happening"...
But I do feel that the mood and atmosphere in some games will be totally lost in you.

Not quite. Fumito Ueda's games can achieve an amazing level of atmosphere despite a relative lack of things going on. Climax games (e.g. Landstalker, Dark Savior, and Alundra) tell beautiful self-contained stories in small, isolated locations - something that really impressed me about those games. Some games just don't do it well (e.g. Gotzendiener) - the isometric perspective's added detail doesn't help the game when you are stuck in drab ugly caves for a third of the game with droning bland chiptunes playing incessantly (if they remixed these tracks for redbook audio cutscenes, why couldn't we hear them in-game? what wasted effort).

Its only saving grace is that it's cheap, so I didn't waste much time or resources with it (but was served a healthy dose of frustration).

Now I can get back to dealing with Valis IV's progressively deteriorating standards of level design.

[esteban]

^ Yeah, Valis IV should have been better. It's decent, but it should have been the pinnacle of the series.

I consider Valis III the pinnacle.

Also, I was purposefully being harsh!

Sometimes, you jaded folks need to be given a good smack, followed by a tender kiss and then a cozy hug.

I'm not sure what stage we are at.

Tender kiss?

[Necromancer]

I couldn't really get into Godzilla.

Awww, why not?  Aside from the broken scoring in the US version, the only thing I don't particularly like about Gojirra is how you can't play as any other monsters in one player mode.

[VenomMacbeth]

I couldn't really get into Godzilla.

Awww, why not?  Aside from the broken scoring in the US version, the only thing I don't particularly like about Gojirra is how you can't play as any other monsters in one player mode.

I'm sure I'll get it eventually.  I just don't have much patience for fighting games.  I didn't really care for the redbook tunes either...why couldn't they just use the actual orchestrated score? 

But I am a fan of the big ol' lizard, as is my family, so I'm sure some fun will be had once I acquire another controller.

[Bardoly]

Clear #40 - W Ring





Below is a little mini-review/my comments on this game which I posted on PCE Daisakusen!

I rated this solid horizontal shoot-'em-up as a '8 out of 10'.

This game has 3 difficulty settings - 'Beginner', which doesn't let you play all of the stages; 'Normal', which after beaten loops into 'Expert' mode with a very basic credit-less ending screen; and 'Expert', which after beaten simply loops again with the same very basic credit-less ending screen.  Both 'Beginner' and 'Normal' modes are actually pretty easy, with most of the bosses going down disconcertingly fast - some of them actually go down in 2 powered-up hits before they can even fire at you.    'Expert' mode is quite difficult and should give most veteran shoot-'em-up gamers a nice challenge.  It's probably too much for me, although since you have unlimited continues, I might could 'quarter-feed' to the end, but since the last two levels must be beaten consecutively in one continue, maybe not.

The powerup system is pretty good with 5 different powerups which can each be powered up 3 times.  Some powerups are better for the stages, while the blue laser weapon will decimate all bosses.

Another nice feature is that all of the stages have alternate stages which can be accessed by finding a hidden item within the regular stage.  This definitely increases the replay value of this game.

Anyway, I do recommend this game to all who enjoy shoot-'em-ups.  The veterans will enjoy 'Expert' mode, and the rest of us will enjoy 'Normal' mode.

Edit:  I found my screen clear picture.

[VenomMacbeth]

I just tried playing Gate of Thunder for a few minutes.  The more I play it, the more I don't like it.  The graphics are pleasing, as is the overall atmosphere...but I really don't care for the music.  For some reason, it almost grates on me...level one for the detuned, whiny lead guitar, level two for its repetition...I've gotten farther but the game has yet to leave a lasting impression on me yet.  I may consider getting rid of it. -.-

[johnnykonami]

I just tried playing Gate of Thunder for a few minutes.  The more I play it, the more I don't like it.  The graphics are pleasing, as is the overall atmosphere...but I really don't care for the music.  For some reason, it almost grates on me...level one for the detuned, whiny lead guitar, level two for its repetition...I've gotten farther but the game has yet to leave a lasting impression on me yet.  I may consider getting rid of it. -.-

Wow, never thought I'd ever hear a bad word about GoT!  I personally like the music (and the game itself).  Played it tons when I got it as a duo pack-in.  My similar blasphemy is that I don't really care for the music in Lords of Thunder (most of it, anyway.)  Now, tons of games were using kind of a hard-rock, heavy on guitars type of soundtrack, so I guess you can get more specific about the particular genre... and for LoT, it's a little bit like European style power metal, which I am just not that into.  Great looking and playing game, though!  Don't get me wrong on that.

[VenomMacbeth]

I agree that it looks & plays fantastically, but for some reason for this console generation, I tend to prefer chip music over redbook.  I do agree that GoT has slightly higher quality redbook than many other PCE games, but the compositions just don't appeal to me. 

[esteban]

I agree that it looks & plays fantastically, but for some reason for this console generation, I tend to prefer chip music over redbook.  I do agree that GoT has slightly higher quality redbook than many other PCE games, but the compositions just don't appeal to me.

YOU ARE INSANE.

Sure, if Gates of Thunder had trite, boring banal tunes—I could see you dismissing the Red Book.

But it doesn't.

I actually prefer electronic music, in general, but Gates and Lords do it right when it comes to metal/rock.

Another game with a great metal/rock soundtrack is HyperWars.

[Necromancer]

First Godzilla and now Gate of Thunder?!?  Bitch, you cwazy! 

[Bardoly]

 Clear #41 - Momotaro Katsugeki



Below is what I posted on PCE Daisakusen! about this game.

I'm going to give this action adventure/platformer-with-RPG-elements an '8 out of 10'.

I played through and beat this game recently, and I really enjoyed it, although I do not understand Japanese.  The gameplay is simple enough to understand and I beat the game without ever understanding what some of the shop items were.  This game is basically a side-scrolling platformer with a couple of vertical levels.  There is even an  underwater forced-scrolling horizontal shoot-'em-up stage for variety.  You have your basic sword weapon which shoots projectiles to destroy enemies.  You can upgrade your sword and projectiles by saving up coins to purchase a better weapon at the next town.  There is a town at the beginning of each stage where you can purchase various items from shops.  Enemies respawn, so if you want, you may 'grind' to save up coins to purchase items.  At the end of each stage there is a boss fight.

Overall, I must recommend this game, although the item/menu screens were intimidating at first, since they are all in Japanese.  On Pcenginefx, sunteam-paul posted a simplistic translating of this screen which helped me get past the entry barrier.