Awesome games people should know about!

[Rez09]

Have a great game to share that you think most people haven't heard of? Or maybe a title that may have been overlooked among other great releases? Perhaps even something people have heard of but you feel still hasn't gotten the attention it deserves? Want to spread some love to these underappreciated games?

I know I do! \ ^_^ /
And that's why I'm going to share them in this thread!
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(And you should share yours too!)

These games don't have to be among the best games ever, nor do they have to represent the best a console or genre has to offer, they just need to be what you feel are:


:party: Awesome games everybody should know about!:party:
(+5 dramatic fanfare here)



For my first game, I'm going to throw out some hints to see if anyone can guess it before revealing it.

1) It's a Sega Master System game
2) It involves a knight
3) And a trapped princess
4) It does not involve lances
5) There be dragons

Think you know it?



Pit-Pot: the Magical Castle - Sega / Sega - 1985 - Puzzle / Action

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/85/PitPotJPBoxShotSegaMasterSystem.jpg/220px-PitPotJPBoxShotSegaMasterSystem.jpg

About two years ago I went on a quest I dubbed 'exploring the Sega Master System' where I played every game on the system for at least twenty minutes or until a gameover. There were some great games, and some terrible (though damn pretty, I have to say) ones, but most ultimately ended up forgettable; three games, however, surprised the hell out of me.

Pit Pot was one of those titles.

Initially I had very low expectations for the game, especially after playing Astro Warrior which it was bundled with, but then a witch threw me a hammer, the ultimate weapon of manly knighthood and do-it-yourself home improvement.


http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/65084-pit-pot-the-magical-castle-sega-master-system-screenshot-a.gif

I was intrigued.

When I got into the game itself, it wasn't the sub-par platformer I was expecting, but instead a top down affair with a maze to navigate, monsters to bash, and loot to collect. Then I got to the princess at the end and got a game over because I'm a terrible person and, maybe, smashed the platform she was on and dropped her into the dark abyss. Then I got there again, didn't drop her, and got a game over anyway because I didn't have the items I needed.

It was at this time I realized the game wasn't the standard 'get to the end' affair I was used to, but instead a puzzle game of sorts where you have to navigate the maze to find these items. So, I busted out my trusty notepad and pencil and set forth again, mapping the dungeon as I went along. THEN I found out, after scouring every room for treasure except one that didn't appear to open and still getting a game over, that every room DOES, in fact, open and sometimes you have to explore the surrounding rooms for a less apparent way to get into them. I learned that destroying or hammering certain tiles can make items appear / disappear, and I began to wonder what else I had missed in the castle.

Somehow, by the time I completed the second stage, my 'twenty minute, one game over' affair had morphed into a 'two hour, ten+ game over' exploration fest, and I wasn't the least bit sad about it. In fact, I went back to it a few months ago and had just as much fun as the first time on the next difficulty up.

If you like puzzle games and exploring castles, trying out new things and making simple maps (not to mention bashing everything you don't like with a hammer) along the way, then you should really give this game a try. It's far from the best the SMS has to offer in any field, but it is (wait for it . . . ) an awesome game you should know about. ;)


http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/1-05-2015/lbJIh1.gif

HAMMAH! SMASH! GOBARIN!

[Ayen]

BattleTanx Global Assault

CbFcc-_tWNQ

There's a level where you can actually blow up the White House. Do I even need to say anything more?

[Rez09]

^

My favorite multiplayer game on the N64. Sooooo good. :crying:

I always wished I could get Goliaths back on rails after I took them off, though. :(

[Pumpkin]

I don't know what games are popular or not so I'll list three that a lot of people I've spoken to seem to not know about

Atelier Arland series
Okay so I've played Atelier Totori and Atelier Meruru, and I personally prefer Totori, but they're both fun games. Totori is about a young alchemist girl who wants to become an Adventurer and find her mother, and Meruru is about a young Princess who wants to become an alchemist, but she has to prove to her father that alchemy can be used to benefit the kingdom

61667

Some things:
-Time management is a large part of the games
-Lighthearted tone, bright graphics, upbeat music
-Large casts of playable characters
-Not a deep story or plot, although it isn't like its total junk either. Just might not be for some who want a deeper more serious or investing story

61666
This is the exact party I used most

Agarest War series (Agarest Senki/Agarest Generations of War/Record of Agarest War 1, Zero, and 2)
Haven't played 2 yet but I've played the others. Basically they are political drama stories with dating sim aspects. In each game you play as a hero who needs to chose a bride. The next generation will follow their child. In the first game there are 5 generations, Zero has 2 generations, and 2 has 3 generations.

61668

Some things:
-Tactical/Strategy RPG
-There are A LOT OF FIGHTS. Like 80% of the game is fights. Good if you like strategy RPGs. *Tip: Fights can be made considerably faster by turning the attack animations off
-Loads of characters, as would be expected from games that span several generations
-Dating sim aspect
-I found the story very interesting and compelling, and is one of the few political dramas I can actually follow. The downside is you need to do like 30-60 minutes of fights to get 5-10 minutes of story. Unless you're significantly better at the game than I am, which is entirely possible
-The first one has an easy difficulty but zero does not. Trust me when I say it makes a difference
-Despite the massive amount of characters, most of them are interesting and actually get personalities and development instead of just being background noise
-Fanservice. It is clearly there. Although not as bad as I thought it would be based on some image searches, but it is certainly there

61669

Fairy Fencer F
I'm listing this one because I'm playing it now and I am very much enjoying it! It's about a hungry dude who pulls out a magical sword and has to go collect fairies to revive the Goddess. Along the way he meets others with Fairy companions

61670

Some things:
-Funny. Some parts are overdone but the game has made me laugh out loud more than once
-Overall a more lighthearted story. It's supposed to be silly and fun
-Not super difficult
-Loads of customization. Heck you can customize the fairies that you use to customize your characters to a certain degree. You can add effects to the dungeons if you'd like
-Weird characters. They're very... weird. This could be a good thing or a bad thing depending
-Fanservice
-Overall bright atmosphere
-Missable characters

61671

[Crop]

Team Buddies.

[Yellow_Magic]

61673

[Ayen]

^

My favorite multiplayer game on the N64. Sooooo good. :crying:

I always wished I could get Goliaths back on rails after I took them off, though. :(

I knew there was a reason I liked you.

[Shorty]

Limboooooooo.

irBwfZ8iAYU

A super creepy, super excellent little puzzle game. I love it.

[Vermachtnis]

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k273/AKA_Gluttony/fortune_summoner_zps6ece7ed4.jpg

This game is great. It's a Metroidvania type game and the combat is really fun and the game has a decent challenge. The characters are fun. The plot is alright, I mean there's a few points that you might get annoyed at how absolutely useless everyone outside those three are. But it's still a nice coming of age story. Also, Stella, the one of the right with the drill hair, is a complete badass.

[Wolf Kanno]

I always feel the need to recommend Gitaroo Man, a quirky Japanese Rhythm game for the PS2 about a young boy and his talking dog who discovers he's an alien music warrior named Gitaroo Man and fights off quirky assassins while learning self-confidence. Maybe I should just show you...

JMgi4b_QDtY

[Karifean]

*cough* (https://vndb.org/v/all?q=;fil=tagspoil-0;o=d;s=rating)

[Rez09]

Oooo, I've wanted to try the Agarest War series, but I neither own nor know anyone I could borrow the titles from. It's too bad, because they usually catch my eye when browsing for PS3 games I might be interested in. :(

Is Atelier Annie part of the Atelier Arland series? That's the only Atelier game I've played. It was pretty fun, though I suspect I would have enjoyed a second playthrough more than my first, since I'd have a better idea of what I was doing from the get-go.

I just looked up a video of Team Buddies annnd . . . I am ashamed of myself for having never heard of this game before. O_O It looks AWESOME. This would have been amazing in multiplayer with the people I play games with. :D

I played Gitaroo Man on a demo disc; that game is pretty crazy. I was awful at it, too! :D It's a lot more complicated than other stuff I had played at the time, like Um Jammer Lammy and Parappa. I hear there's a PSP port that's a lot easier to get ahold of, so maybe I'll have to get that version and try the full game.

I checked my library on Steam and I own both Limbo and Fortune Summoner . . . and have played neither. There's just too much on my list like that. ._. I think I'll do a mini-marathon sometime soon and play Fortune Summoner, Dust, and Valdis Story back to back. All three look fun, I own them, and I haven't played them. ^^;

EDIT: They consider Baldr Force a visual novel. O_oa Well, I guess I can put that on my list of played Visual Novels as well. I love that game! :D (Baldr Bullet is on there as well, which was even better than Force. \ ^_^ /)

Now, hints for my next game:

1) It's an NES game
2) It's a port of an arcade title
3) It involves Jeeps, 4) POWs, and 5) many explosions
6) Is best enjoyed in multiplayer

Think you got it?



Jackal - Konami / Konami - 1988 - Top-down Shooter

http://pics.mobygames.com/images/covers/large/1169936332-00.jpg


Funny story about this game: I don't like most top-down shooters, especially the ones I've played on the NES. This game, however, is a complete blast. You, and that friend you pulled from whatever they were doing to play with you, take control of two jeeps, drive around shooting machine guns and throwing grenades/missiles, drop off saved POWs on helipads, and fight spiffy bosses. From a purely formulaic point of view there is absolutely nothing special about the game.

Except that it is, mechanically, amazingly fun to play. Your machine gun always shoots north regardless of where your jeep is facing, which sounds bad at first but actually works out great since you always have that direction covered and never have to stop and aim up when you'd rather be moving in a different direction. Additionally, you have an unlimited supply of upgradeable missiles/grenades that fire in the direction you are facing, providing the flexible fire your machine gun does not.

The screen also moves with you instead of auto-scrolling like in most other shooters, and you can move backwards if you want to as well, unless you are fighting a boss of course. This means you can always move how you want, when you want, unless your friend decides to hold you up while they rescue POWs. :roll2

Speaking of which, POWs provide a nifty upgrade mechanic to the game. Your jeep starts out with a basic grenade as its secondary weapon, and reverts to it when you die, but certain POWs (as well as unloading chains of five or so normal POWs onto a helipad) can upgrade it to a missile, then to a missile with a larger blast radius. This gets pretty valuable as the game follows the genre staple 'one-hit, one-death' mechanic, and filling the screen with fiery death does a good job protecting you from enemies. Fortunately, POWs are super easy to find and collect, so there are plenty to go around and keep you upgraded. They are also oddly satisfying to collect, especially when you steal them from your buddy's smoking jeep when they die due to you not scrolling the screen.
61695
(I'm a terrible person, please never play games with me)

Konami made an amazing showing on the NES, and I've always felt Jackal was one of their least appreciated releases. It has a great set of mechanics in the machine gun, grenades/missiles, and nonrestrictive camera, the POWs are a great and satisfying way to do power-ups, and the game is an awesome multiplayer experience. If you have a friend around and are even remotely open to the genre, give this game a try, even if the videos on youtube don't seem that impressive. It's a lot of fun, and while it may not be Gradius or Gun Nac, or even Konami's best multiplayer NES game, it still remains . . .

an awesome game you should know about. :party:

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/jackal/jackal-nes10.png

[Pumpkin]

The three in the Atelier Arland series are Rorona, Totori, and Meruru. I've also played Escha and Logy but that's a different Atelier series. I can't comment on the others because I haven't played them

[Ayen]

YFkNlz0WEiQ

This is another favorite game of mine that I used to play all the time as a kid. I recently got my hands on it again after a good couple of decades has gone by and it's every bit as awesome as I remember it being. I have the whole Road Rash franchise, actually. Love them all.

[escobert]

Everyone just needs to play DayZ
(Just go to 17:00 in for the funny stuffs)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WofiN2c_XQ

[Rez09]

I haven't played the Road Rash series since . . . 3 on the Genesis, as I recall. It was a fun enough game, but I was reeeeeeally bad at it.

Anyway, here are my hints for the next game:

1) It's a Game Boy Color game
2) It's a puzzle platformer
3) Hammers may be involved
4) It is an entry in a long running Irem series
5) It may involve evil bathhouse remodeling projects

Got a guess?



Daiku no Gen San - Biox / Gaps - 2000 - Puzzle Platformer


http://img.gamefaqs.net/box/5/2/9/39529_front.jpg

I looooooooove puzzle games, I really do, especially when falling blocks are only minimally involved. I first came across Daiku back in 2003 when PentarouZero released a patch for it, and, after looking at the screenshots, I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did, because over a decade later it still remains one of my favorite GBC games.

The premise is rather simple: you have three hammers with special effects and you must use them to navigate stages. One hammer turns enemies into blocks, and pushes said blocks, which are used to reach higher platforms and press buttons; the second hammer destroys enemies and blocks, allowing you to effectively 'reset' puzzles for the most part, and is magnetic; and the final hammer enrages foes so they chase you, allowing you to get them into positions otherwise impossible. Aside from these basic traits, hammers can also be pogoed on as well, which can be used to cross spikes.

Stages also have bonus stars to collect. They don't really do anything, but finding them all adds an enjoyable challenge to the experience, which is otherwise fairly easy.

So, if you are up for a fun little puzzle game on the GBC, I fully recommend giving this title a try. It's easy to pick up and figure out, not too big an investment to play through, it has an easy to find English patch, and you get to whack stuff with hammers! What could be more worth your time? It isn't Pokemon (or Dragon Warrior III), but for the GBC it is totally . . .
:party: an awesome game you should know about. :party:

PS: If you do pick this game up and like it, it was followed up with Samurai Kid a year later, which is basically the same game mechanically with a new character and puzzles. Check that one out too!

[Ayen]

I used to be so bad at Road Rash the game gave me training wheels.

I'm not even joking, there's a cut-scene that plays showing a bunch of people adds training wheels to your bike if you come in last place or something. It was hilarious.

Now I'm finishing at first place. All it takes is practice.

[Wolf Kanno]

Another thread reminded me of this game.

61884

It's a PS1 game that plays similar to Gunstar Heroes except it has a bit of a Ikuruga mechanic where the character switches colors and their abilities only work on certain enemies. It's pretty quirky and difficult if you're not used to old side-scroller style arcade games.

Next up:
61885

Imagine a quirky fighting game where all the characters were just anime cliches and tropes duking it out and you basically have this game in a nutshell. It's pretty simplistic for a fighter but has a unique combat mechanic where characters use special powers to fire projectiles and do throws across the room from the opponent. The hammy dialogue and VA work makes it even more enjoyable.

and finally...
61886

Most people who grew up in the PS1 era probably remember Parappa the Rapper, and they may even remember that it got a sequel on the PS2. What some don't realize is that Parappa real sequel was this other PS1 game about Lammy learning to believe in herself and try her best to make it to a concert. The music is fun the gameplay is an improvement over Parrapa and it's quirky as all hell.

[Rez09]

Silhouette Mirage is such a fun game, especially beating the lunch money out of enemies! >: D

Um Jammer Lammy is my favorite game in the Parappa series, and Fire! Fire! is tied with Flea Market for my favorite song too. :D It was especially awesome being able to play through as Parappa after you finished the game with his own story and versions of the songs, though I don't think any of his songs were as good as Lammy's.

[metagloria]

JACKAL!!!!

[Rez09]

JACKAL!!!!

It's so awesome. :'D



So, the hints for my next game:

1) It's a respectably well known ROM Hack of Sonic 1
2) It has versions on both the Sega Genesis and Sega CD
3) Has 5 playable characters, four of whom are from later series' entries

Pretty crappy hints, I know, but it's the best I could think of. :(

Hopefully you were. ;)


Sonic the Hedgehog: Megamix - Team Megamix - 2008 - 2D platformer

http://img374.imageshack.us/img374/9250/sonicmegamixfrontml6.png

So, (16-bit) Sonic 2 might be my favorite game of all time, and its great mix of color, speed, platforming, responsive controls, and, for the time, challenge firmly placed me on the path to becoming the gamer I am today. It doesn't stand alone in its series either, as Sega did excellent work on all of the main titles of the time -- 8 and 16-bit Sonic 1, Sonic CD, Sonic 3 and Knuckles, ect. It's hardly any wonder the series has garnered the almost fervent fanbase that it has. However, past the Genesis era the series gets a bit sketchy for some people, and enough seem to insist that Sega have lost their charm when it comes to the franchise. Personally, I thought Sonic 4 and Generations were rather good, S4:E1's odd physics aside, and SA2 is one of my favorite games in the franchise, but to each their own.

Fortunately, what some people say Sega has lost when it comes to the franchise many fans are willing to see if they have, and the Genesis Sonic games are some of the most hack-rich waters a person could ever hope to dive into. There are tons of interesting and cool ROM hacks of the games floating about, from attempts to recreated Sonic 2 as it was meant to be to hacks pulling characters from television shows I . . . honestly didn't think anyone watched. (Seriously, people watched Sonic Underground?! O: ) There are also hacks based around amusing or interesting ideas and nothing else, like playing all of the stages backwards or making rings dangerous (if not fatal) to collect. Of all the hacks I've tried though, I feel that Sonic Megamix is still, all these years later, easily among the best the fan community has to offer.

The game itself is an extensive ROM hack of the original 16-bit Sonic the Hedgehog, with all of the stages remade with new layouts, enemy placements, and music. It also features five playable characters with different abilities: Sonic has access to the Super Peel Out from Sonic CD and the Light Speed Dash and Homing Attacks from the 3D games; Tails can fly like in Sonic 3; Knuckles can climb walls and glide; Shadow can double jump and consume rings for an immediate speed boost; and Mighty the Armadillo has access to the shield abilities from Sonic 3, as well as the ability to store said shields in a small inventory for later use. There are even a few attempts, depending on the version you are playing, to add new bosses to the game. Combined, these features make Megamix a fantastic reworking of the original experience, and the game is more than just retreading familiar ground with new faces.

The best part of the hack, however, doesn't come from any of these elements. It comes from the fact that the game, on top of looking and controlling like a Genesis Sonic title due to its hack nature, also feels like classic a Sonic game, at least to me. I often feel that stages are poorly designed in a lot of hacks I try, with far too many irritating or inconsequential enemy or platform placements, or hyper linear stages that don't feel like they offer the usual right-low route options or appropriate platforming / navigating found in many earlier Sonic games. All of these things Megamix just seems to do right. I may slam headfirst into an enemy from time to time, but that happened in Sonic 2 as well (hello, random praying mantis bot), and it isn't a constant occurrence. Sometimes the platforming gets rather . . . odd, but I never found it annoying at all. It drives every nail home where it needs to, and that's rare in ROM hacks and fan games.

Something else interesting about the hack, along with the different characters there are also multiple versions, with V3 on the Genesis and V4 on the Sega CD being the most important two. The Genesis version is the most stable and super easy to pick up due to its small file size, while the Sega CD version has some . . . amusing bugs and is a larger download. The stages between the games are different, as is the music, and it might be worth checking out both to see which you enjoy more, though, despite the bugs, I prefer the Sega CD version, since I feel the stages flow better. That might just be me though. Additionally, there is supposedly work on a new version of the hack, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZFJT-0kVlQ) which looks awesome, though there's no word on when it will be released. It's been a long time a'coming. :'( Still, it's something to keep watch for, since it will no doubt be completely amazing like the previous releases have been.

Anyway, what it all comes down to is . . . if you like classic Sonic games, you need to pick up Megamix and give it a fair shot. It's a great Sonic game and, provided one keeps in mind its origins and that it will be reusing assets from Sonic 1 and not offering new ones, is on par with the other main title games on the Genesis. It's a real testament to the quality of games a dedicated fan community can create, and while it isn't as impressive as Sonic 2 *coughcoughunfairbiascough*, or Sonic 3 for that matter, it is still a lot of fun and also remains . . .
:party: an awesome game you should know about :party:
(especially if you grab v4 on the Sega CD)

And, from someone who will do more justice to the game than I ever will:
(Keep in mind this review is from early 2012)
qma6bPWS5wY

[Ayen]

Next up:
61885

Imagine a quirky fighting game where all the characters were just anime cliches and tropes duking it out and you basically have this game in a nutshell. It's pretty simplistic for a fighter but has a unique combat mechanic where characters use special powers to fire projectiles and do throws across the room from the opponent. The hammy dialogue and VA work makes it even more enjoyable.

Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! More people need to play this, this game is fantastic.

[Rez09]

I must admit, the love for Evil Zone I've been encountering lately is rather surprising. I didn't think most people managed to get past the control scheme. :o

It's good though, because whenever I talk about Evil Zone I am invariably reminded of another game, and it turns out that other game is something totally worth sharing. So, here are my hints and let's see if anyone can guess it. :)

1) It's a Dreamcast game
2) It's developed by Capcom
3) It's a fighting game
4) It may contain giant robots. ;)

Think you got it?



Tech Romancer - Capcom / Capcom - 1998 - 3D fighting game

http://gamefacts.diggitup.com/Image/covers/tech-romancer/tech-romancer-cover437675.jpg

This. Game. I bought my Dreamcast for this game. Well, it and The Last Blade 2 anyway. When all was said and done and I finally sold my Dreamcasts and game collection a while back, this was the only game I truly regretted parting with. It looks great, controls great, has enjoyable story modes, tons of unlockables, spiffy stages -- everything about this game was well done, and I've always felt terrible knowing how overlooked it is in Capcom's library, especially considering Cyberbots manages to get love from time to time.

So, what about this game makes it like Evil Zone? Well, what's really striking about both titles is the way they try to capture the feeling of playing an anime, and that they do it in rather similar ways. This is first apparent in character designs, with Evil Zone's inspired by action-based anime characters and Tech Romancer's by famous mecha designs. It's really awesome being an anime buff and spotting what inspired each element in the games. The second is in how story mode is presented, as both games use each fight as an 'episode', complete with title cards. Evil Zone has a bit more fun here, I feel, but Tech Romancer's stories are more diverse. The third is how the fights try to capture more dynamic elements from the medium, like running while fighting in Evil Zone and using buildings for (short lived) cover in Tech Romancer. Evil Zone, on the whole, implements this a lot more than Tech Romancer does, but I find it is less . . . obtrusive in Romancer. Lastly, both games offer special attacks that can be used to finish a low health enemy in a cinematic way, though how they do it operates a bit differently, with it being an extended super in Evil Zone and a separate, single-attempt OHKO attack in Tech Romacer.

All of that said, however, the games are exceptionally different outside of those elements, especially in terms of control, and this is a place Tech Romacer utterly shines. The game uses four buttons: attack A, attack B, jump, and guard, and many can be combined for additional options, such as attack A and B together making a stronger attack C, or guard + attack A or B being sidestep attacks. This simple scheme also extends to special and super attacks, which are simple things like back + A or back, forward + C. I can't begin to tell anyone how much of a Godsend this is for so many reasons, especially if you've ever tried to explain a "1, 63214, 3" motion to someone new to the genre. Know how it works in Tech Romacer?

"You see me jumping at you?"
"Yeah?"
"Press back, forward+C the next time I do that. It'll ma--"
-Eats giant plasma ball in the face-
". . . Yep. You get it."

Beyond the simple controls of the game, there's also some external depth to the combat as well. Most protruding terrain can be destroyed, potentially blocking an attack in the process, and can drop items which do a ton of different things. For one, there's a 'hero' booster drop that effectively puts your Mech into 'super mode' for a short time, giving each machine new options while the boost is active. One mech, for instance, gains the ability to fly and has unlimited super meter, while another gets a floating array of trash to hit people with. It's a pretty cool mechanic similar to the Power Stones or Smash Ball that tips the scale in your favor, only without throwing it out the window and onto the neighbor's lawn. There are other mini boosters as well, giving strength bonuses and the like, which are usually less of a priority to rush towards but still helpful. Finally, 'weapon' items drop as well, and these effectively give your mechs new special attacks that vary from machine to machine; one character shoots a train that chases the enemy around, for instance, while another gets a quick-thrusting rapier. They are often very powerful and worth grabbing whenever possible.

Really, I could go on, but I'm sure I've already lost everyone's interest already, so I'll just end it here and say . . . if you like Mecha based anime, check this game out. If you like fighting games, check this game out. If you own a Dreamcast, check this game out. And grab a friend, even if they aren't very good at fighting games; at the very least you can play through the story modes together. It may not be Street Fighter Alpha 3 or Third Strike, or even Marvel vs. Capcom 2, but is a lot of fun and EASILY one of Capcom's most overlooked titles, and it most definitely is . . .

:party: an awesome game you should know about :party:

Q2-UpK0r2hY

[Ayen]

I must admit, the love for Evil Zone I've been encountering lately is rather surprising. I didn't think most people managed to get past the control scheme. :o

​Those people are losers.

[Rez09]

sn6jKGVxTbk

[Pumpkin]

I want to add some :jess:

Luminous Arc 2
I haven't heard anyone talk about this game so I guess it isn't too popular, but anyways. It's a world of Knights and Witches who for the most part don't get along, but band together when one witch goes rogue and is assumed trying to find and use some super weapon.

62014

Some things:
-Strategy RPG
-Overall easy, although do need to do some grinding
-Lighthearted, doesn't take itself seriously
-Relationship values
-Lots of playable characters
-Good interactions

62015

Super Scribblenauts
Super Scribblenauts follows the hero, Maxwell, and his magic pencil and notebook with which he can create things. Basically you write a word in the notebook and it makes that thing appear. Then you have to solve puzzles by doing that.

62016

Some things:
-Amazing amount of detail
-A lot of creatable things
-Puzzle game. Some challenge but overall easy
-Need a good imagination
-Short levels

62017

[metagloria]

I need that Sonic game in my life.

[Vermachtnis]

I played the first Luminous Arc, it didn't leave a strong impression. It was pretty okay overall. I liked that one girl who called people big palookas though, she was funny. But I didn't even know they made a second one.

[Pumpkin]

I've read the second is much better than the first, but I haven't played the first so I couldn't personally comment

[Leigh]

The Original Shadowhearts
62020

Shadow Hearts was such a great game. It has been a number of years since I played it. I remember enjoying it immensley though, and probably the best RPG I have played since Final Fantasy IX in 2000.
62021

62022
Like most of the games I played in my youth, I usually find it is best to keep them there. I either get agitated that either no game today is being made to this standard, or the desensitisation of 21st century culture makes me see the game for all the faults it has, and how badly it has aged... =P

I do recommend people play it though if you haven't had chance to in the past.

[Rez09]

Oooooooo, more games! :D

I'm in a similar boat to Vermachtnis on Luminous Arc 1: it was rather 'meh'. I did know about the second game though, but I never picked it up because of my experience with the first. It's good to know an improvement was made. :)

Also, Super Scribblenauts! \ ^_^ / I played it after Unlimited, but I still had a lot of fun with the game. :D I don't recall my puzzle solutions being as silly for the most part, but it was still awesome.

I've still never played a Shadow Hearts game, or Koudelka on the PS1 which I hear is a related title, but I've heard good things about the series. I need to fix that. :(



So, for my next game, this is a title I'm pretty sure EVERYONE has heard of, and yet most people don't know exists. How does that make sense? :spin:

Here are the hints before we find out what it is:

1) It's a Nintendo game
2) It's a Gameboy title
3) It involves a kidnapped lady-type person who ISN'T Peach
4) Lots of jumping and acrobatics are involved
5) No plane / spaceship stages

Think you got it? :D



Donkey Kong - Nintendo / Nintendo - 1994 - Puzzle Platformer

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/23/Donkey_Kong_94_box_art.jpg

You know what game ISN'T an arcade port, despite what its name and platform might suggest? Yeah, it's this one. It's actually a super forgivable mistake too, since its first stages ARE just the original DK stages, and I imagine a LOT of people passed it over for that reason. It's really too bad, because once one gets past said stages they'll find what is easily one of the most entertaining games on the platform.

So, what IS this game if it isn't a port? Well, if you are familiar with the Mario Vs. DK series, this is effectively the first game in that line. If not, then . . . read on. After dropping DK on his head at the end of the fourth stage and being happily reunited with Pauline, DK decides he won't be having any of that, grabs her again, and dashes out of the stage with her. Ever the relentless purser, Mario takes off after him and each non-boss stage from there forward is centered around finding and transporting a key to a locked door so you can continue chasing DK.

It almost sounds a bit silly (kind of like everything in the original DK game when you think about it), but everything about the game, from controls to stage design, are executed superbly. Every stage is a puzzle where you have find and bring a key to the door, and new mechanics are thrown into the mix fairly regularly, with a short cutscene, starting with the key on stage 5, showing the player how the mechanic works.

Additionally, Mario himself has received quite the upgrade for the title, being able to perform handstands, backflips, and launch himself off of wires, all of which are vital to completing the game. It's pretty awesome having all these new options open to you, especially when you take unintended shortcuts using them in the original four stages. :3: There's also the ability to block falling objects with your feet during the handstand that is required for boss fights throughout the game, which, maybe, made 10 year old me feel like a total badass. :roll2

As I mentioned earlier, the game was later followed up by the much better known Mario Vs. Donkey Kong games, which are great too, but that doesn't change how unknown / underappreciated I've always felt this title was, and if you are up for an awesome Nintendo puzzle platformer, you need to check it out. Actually, if there was any chance ANY excuse I could even theoretically offer you would sway you to try the title, you should try it out. It isn't as well known Super Mario Land (though I happily argue it is much better), nor was it the smashing success that was Pokemon, but it still remains . . .
:party: an awesome game you should know about :party:


http://amhnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/DonkeyKongGameBoy-article_image.jpg

[Galuf]

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicals: ring of fates.

i havent played i like 8 years but i still like it and nobody seems to talk about it. its for the DS. you stab stuff and magic other stuff. it is a game.

[Rez09]

Is it like the original Crystal Chronicles at all? That was one of the games I got with my Gamecube. :o

Anyway, hints for my next game:

1) It's a Playstation and PSP title
2) It's a Tri-Ace game
3) It's an RPG
4) Lots of dead people
5) 2D platforming and puzzles

Got a guess?



Valkyrie Profile - Tri-Ace / Enix - 2000 - RPG

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3a/Vpbox.jpg

I really miss video game magazines, and oddly enough the ads are one of the things I miss the most about them. I remember seeing those full page ads and being excited for sooooo many games, this one included. Even when it just got a 1/3rd page review in the magazine instead of a full or multipage one like other major RPGs were getting, I was still excited for the title. I didn't end up getting the game for YEARS after it came out due to geography and scarcity, a situation similar to Star Ocean 2 and Suikoden 2 actually, but while those titles drifted into almost Holy Grail territory, this one just seems to have fallen into obscurity. It's too bad really, since this is far and away my favorite of the three titles, and I've always wondered why people never cared about it.

Actually, maybe that's not entirely true, because I fully recognize a divergence between what most people want in an RPG and what I want that began around the time this game hit that likely explains why, and it mostly centers around the story. Comparing it to the Final Fantasy series, VP is a lot more like the second half of Final Fantasy VI than anything else, where there is the larger goal you are working towards with relatively light story development pushing you towards it, which is a far cry from the stronger narratives other titles were bringing to the table. The opinion that story is the most important part of an RPG is still a popular one today, and in VP the majority of the experience, like the World of Ruin, is centered around individual stories tied to characters and exploring dungeons. Even that, however, isn't the most apt comparison, because most character development in VP is tied only to a single cutscene showing the circumstances surrounding a character's death (spoilers: everyone dies), where characters in FFVI were already established and lent further development in the second half, but it makes a lot of sense how Tri-Ace approached the story considering the circumstances of the game. You are, after all, a Valkyrie collecting the souls of the worthy to send to Valhalla to fight during Ragnarok, and much of their life is neither known nor important to you. That said, the game is far from devoid of story, especially when going for the unlockable ending, it's just that it forgoes the stronger narrative found in many other popular titles for a more unconventional one. And, actually, that's really descriptive of the title itself as a whole: unconventional. Almost everything about the game does things differently, and maybe that too put off some people.

For instance, instead of a traditional world map, Lenneth flies around the world and can search for new points of interest to explore, pointing to either a new dungeon or person to recruit. Additionally, game progression isn't tied to completing 'dungeon x and fighting boss y to see story segment z', but instead is broken into chapters until Ragnarok, each comprised of several periods that are consumed with Lenneth's actions on the map. Fortunately, while this does impose a time limit of sorts, the game gives you far more time periods than are required to complete the game, and it is possible to skip your remaining time to continue the story whenever you are ready.



http://lparchive.org/Valkyrie-Profile/Update%208/img-17.jpg

Looking past the map, dungeons are also genre unconventional, being 2D platforming segments with a fair bit to explore and, on hard mode, lots of puzzles. In these areas Lenneth can jump, attack, slide, and create crystals to use as platforms and reflect lasers, ect. I always enjoyed exploring the stages, getting to places I probably shouldn't have often only to find a chest stashed away to reward me. It's always nice when developers intended their areas to be so thoroughly explored. ;) The game's artwork is also beautiful and brings a lot of these areas to life, especially the Clockwork Mansion that opens in hard mode. Which, all things considered, is probably good since I ALWAYS get lost in there.


http://i.ytimg.com/vi/epKOqUF61BM/hqdefault.jpg

(AHHHHAHAHAHAHA, AHA, AHA, AHHHHHHHH.
Then you must be me.
Yes, yes, I know. See you again in about five hours, rude ass room)


Another much appreciated feature of the game is that there are no random encounters, with monsters appearing on the map where you can engage or avoid them. If you whap them with your sword you get the initiative in the fight, or, rather, prevent them from getting it. You can also freeze them with your crystals and bypass them entirely, using them as platforms to reach higher areas. The freeze doesn't last all that long, but it's more than adequate, and you can attack them while frozen to start a fight as well.

Once combat begins, it too is unconventional for the genre despite retaining a turn-based engine. Your characters attack when you press the button assigned to them and, weapon dependently, can use different attacks to combo with each other. Using this you can attempt to juggle enemies for bonus xp, OTG them for bonus stamina recovery, or just get a large enough string to activate your special attacks, each of which is characters specific and (usually) pretty damn spiffy. For the most part I like giving Lenneth a bow and launching enemies with it, then brutally mobbing them with everyone else while they are in the air. There's a lot of intricacy to the combat, and it takes a bit to get used to, but it's pretty satisfying once you understand it.


http://betweenlifeandgames.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/valkyrie_profile_battle.png

I love Tri-Ace, I love how quirky their titles usually are, and this game, barring Tales of Phantasia if one counts it, towers above everything else they've ever made. The stages, premise, characters, combat, item creation (which I skipped over completely), everything about the title is just SO well done, and it is easily one of the best RPGs the PS1 has to offer. Just invest a little bit of time in learning the combat system and your effort will be completely rewarded. It's may not have the strong story Suikoden II did, or the super fancy 3D grafix of FF7, but it most definitely still is . . .

:party: an awesome game you should know about :party:

Also (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e02vLMgZvys) :crying:

[Galuf]

uh woops sorry i didnt read the thread.

sorry for not putting a riddle in my game sorry. and yeah thats it bye.

[Rez09]

Well, you definitely had the right idea, and the riddle thing is just something I'm doing. :)

Was the DS one at all like the GC one? :o I didn't hear about it at all.

[Galuf]

i dont think so. i never played the GC one though.

[Rez09]

Well, here's another one of my favorites. :)

1) It's an SNES game
2) It's a 2D platformer
3) It's a crossover title
4) Giant robot battles are totally a thing
5) Sadly Japanese only, and I've never seen a patch. D':
6) It's the fourth game, by number, in the series

Any ideas?



The Great Battle IV - Sun L / Banpresto - 1994 - Action Platformer

http://img.gamefaqs.net/screens/6/a/0/gfs_9401_1_1.jpg

Sometimes I come across licensed titles that I expect absolutely NOTHING from and am completely amazed by the quality I encounter, especially when I don't remotely care about the properties involved.

As I mentioned in the hints, this game is a crossover 2D platformer, and you take control of one of the four shown characters during the stages, each with their own special abilities. Kamen Rider ZO has a spiffy multidirectional flamethrower, rider kick, and the ability to climb walls; the V2 Gundam can fly and has a grenade launcher and beam saber; Ultraman Powered can shoot lasers, has a bazooka, and can turn into a ball to get into tight spaces; and Roa, who I'm pretty sure was made for this series, has bouncing bullets and can double jump. You start controlling the V2 Gundam, but you can swap between the characters at any time, so you can just use whoever you like the whole game and swap for other abilities when needed. :) There's also the Compatible Kaiser who you get to control for some boss battles, which is super awesome. >: D


62118


Once you complete the intro stage there are five planets you get to pick from, and it doesn't really matter which order you complete them in. Each has its own theme, and they may be inspired by the various shows (I have no knowledge whatsoever of these series). They are all colorful and respectably challenging, though at least one stage has an unfortunate habit I like to call: OPEN DEATH PITS #^!@%*& EVERYWHERE, which, it turns out, might be a bit annoying at times.

The game is pretty short, I believe 7 stages total, but it is well constructed and a lot of fun, so if you happen to be up for a spiffy platformer on the SNES you may not have played, give this game a try -- or the fifth one, which throws some Wild Guns into the mix. It certainly isn't Mega Man X or Demon's Crest, but it is still worth looking into and remains . . .

:party: an awesome game you should know about :party:

PS. It's also multiplayer.
62119

[Polnareff]

I can think of a few right now (I'll only outline two right now), and one was actually mentioned in this thread already!

1. Tech Romancer (arcade/Dreamcast)
Tech Romancer was a spiritual sequel to a 2D fighting game Capcom made called Cyberbots. What makes this different from their other fighting games, is that you pilot giant robots akin to what you would see in an '80s giant robot anime. There's a lot of environmental destruction, a decent story mode, and the visual design is amazing. Gameplay is as Rez said, very easy to pick up, so it's a great game to ease somebody into playing fighting games.

The Dreamcast version is notable for adding many features to the arcade version. One thing is the ending gallery, where you can of course view endings. The second, most important thing are the VMU mini games. My memory is hazy on them, but there are three of them, and the one I remember most is the one where you have to kiss the main character, but punch the girls (you play as one of the girls from the game, fyi). If I remember right, you can use the points to unlock more goodies.

Another added thing was, well.....Cyberbots had a character named Jin who was the main character of that game. Capcom added him as a bonus character and a nod to its predecessor.


2. Henry Hatsworth and the Puzzling Adventure (DS)
This game was doomed from the beginning, coming out around the same time as Pokemon Platinum. And that name. And that box art. Dear lord, what were they thinking?!

But anyway, this game has to be the best platformer I've ever played this side of the Mega Man series. It seamlessly blends puzzle gameplay (think Tetris Attack, not Resident Evil :monster: ) with platforming and action. Basically, you play as an old man named Henry who finds a rather strange suit of armor that throws him into an alternate dimension. He ends up exploring said alternate dimension.

It's so hard for me to actually explain how the game works, so I'll just post a vid and let it speak for itself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvRTvYnYPzg

I THINK that the creators of this game were the same ones who made a later game called Monster Tale. Some of the animations are very similar, as well as the platforming. And, speaking of that game, that will be another one I will talk about later.

[Mirage]

I always feel the need to recommend Gitaroo Man, a quirky Japanese Rhythm game for the PS2 about a young boy and his talking dog who discovers he's an alien music warrior named Gitaroo Man and fights off quirky assassins while learning self-confidence. Maybe I should just show you...

JMgi4b_QDtY

Great game with a cool soundtrack.

[Rez09]

Another added thing was, well.....Cyberbots had a character named Jin who was the main character of that game. Capcom added him as a bonus character and a nod to its predecessor.

The Bloodia is an awesome machine too, and I was beyond happy when I found it in the unlock shop. :D Bloodia vs. G. Kaiser was one of my favorite matchups, and landing that Bloodia C on a Kaiser preparing to spin kick feels sooooooooo good. >: D Also, giant rocks vs giant bombs. I wish the game would come out on another platform, I really miss it. :'(

[Polnareff]

I think part of what is keeping it from being re-released is that Studio Nue helped with certain aspects of the gameplay like the character designs and such. That, and Capcom released so few copies of the game that it was doomed to fail before they even released it.

Cyberbots, however, is on the PSN. So at least there's that. :shobon:

Speaking of underappreciated Capcom Dreamcast games ported from the arcade, how about Cannon Spike and Project Justice?

[Depression Moon]

Damn, I forgot all about Gitaroo Man. I would like to contribute, but I don't think I've played anything obscure in a while.

[Rez09]

Cyberbots, however, is on the PSN. So at least there's that. :shobon:


I didn't know that, actually. :D It's nice Capcom thought to bring that over. Too bad they don't have any interest in a sequel, because I'd love to play a followup to either game. )':


Speaking of underappreciated Capcom Dreamcast games ported from the arcade, how about Cannon Spike and Project Justice?

Would you believe I never played the Rival Schools games? D: I heard they were pretty good too, but no one ever had them. How was Project Justice?

EDIT: Alrighty, I've got another one. Here are the hints!

1) It's an older PC game
2) It's a turn-based tactics game set in WWII
3) It's the first 'sequel' in its series, but the sixth game overall
4) You play as Germany
5) The Americans are dirty cheaters

Any ideas? :holmes:



Panzer General II - Glenn Summers(?) / SSI - 1997 - Turn Based Tactics

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8d/Panzer_General_II_cover.png

I'll put this simply: Panzer General II is non-story driven TBT at its finest. The game is challenging without being unfair (minus those cheating Americans), it's mechanics are fairly simple while lending a lot of depth, the graphics are basic but do their job perfectly, and the music is . . . well, not gonna lie, it's actually rather forgettable. However, all of that said, I do need to point out this game is only for certain types of players, as the going is fairly slow and there is no actual plot or characters in the game. It's all about tactics as you fight your way across Europe to get your units into vital strategic points as quickly as possible, and there is little else to the game.

But that's not as bad as it may sound, because there is plenty of depth to the game. The primary focus of every mission is completing it quickly, with the stages you play being based on how well you do, potentially ending with the theoretical invasions of Britain and the US. This provides a lot of incentive to come up with the best strategies to break that defensive line as quickly as possible, balancing the risk/reward of your actions, instead of slowly creeping forward in a fully defensive formation and pressing into enemy territory. Taking things slowly is a luxury that, frankly, kills the challenge of most other TBTs, the Fire Emblem and Langrisser series in particular. Though sometimes daunting, PGII's Brilliant Victories are always within reach if you plan things accordingly, but quickly slips away or ends up quite costly if you don't.

Which brings me to the next thing I feel the game does right: unit cost. The game's currency is prestige, which is used to purchase and upgrade units, heal, and overcharge their health -- three of these four actions are dedicated to keeping units alive and relevant, and there is a reason for this. Despite not having any story threads attached to them, your units DO stick with you from mission to mission and gain experience, gaining additional stats and potential leaders and abilities as they level up. This makes poor plays exceptionally costly, as you can lose extremely powerful units you've come to rely on because you didn't bother scouting an area before you moved in. This is compounded by how important it becomes to create a strong core as the game goes on, as enemy armies will have leveled units of their own to contend with.

That doesn't mean you need to, or even should strive to, keep EVERY unit alive though, as keeping units fully repaired and upgraded is a relatively expensive affair, so knowing what is expendable is also important in the game. It is sometimes much more valuable to sacrifice a unit to gain a tactical advantage than it is to not lose them and hang back and slog it out with artillery instead. This also means there's the need to gauge what units to upgrade or just sell off between rounds, especially when a new technology hits. Do I sell this level 1 unit off and buy a new one, hoping for a new / better leader, or is this unit actually going to be useful enough for me to keep and upgrade?

This is especially true of extra infantry and recon units, both of which are extremely important, but not always to the same extent. Every unit class has its role and all are important to make proper use of, but you don't always need four recons, nor are tons of engineers needed in stages without lots of rivers to make pontoon bridges across. I end the game with a core around 30 ~ 35 units, but there is a lot of unit shuffling to get to that point. About the only thing that I never shuffle is artillery, which end up the true cornerstone of my military as their supportive fire and ability to destroy enemy entrenchment levels are invaluable under any and every circumstance.

UNLESS YOU ARE TRYING TO LAND THEM ON A BEACH AND YOUR RANK 5 PANTHER GS ARE MAGICALLY TWO SHOT BY INFERIOR AMERICAN ARMOR. In which case they are completely useless and will proceed to explode on the next turn because America. :argh:

Anyway, I don't really know what else to say about the game. If you enjoy tactical games and care less about story and characters than mechanics, this is a game you should check out. It's extremely well made and absolutely is . . .
:party: an awesome game you should know about. :party:

http://games-history.ru/upload/screen/panzergeneral2_1.jpg

(And it's on GoG. :D)

[Rez09]

Alrighty, I'm not so fond of double posting but I'm doing it anyway! Here's my next title! \ ^_^ /

1) It's a licensed game developed by Sega
2) It's a Sega Master System game
3) It's a platformer
4) Two playable characters: one large, one small
5) Based on a (very) long running comic strip
6) If you are familiar with the series, you are probably European.

Any ideas?



Asterix - Sega / Sega - 1991 - 2D platformer

http://img.gamefaqs.net/box/2/2/5/50225_front.jpg


I'm not especially familiar with Asterix and Obelix, but every game of theirs I've tried has been somewhere between subpar and outright bad, and I've played a fair number of Asterix games. Imagine my surprise when I loaded this up expecting utter crap only to find one of the best titles in the entire Master System Library. It's colorful, it controls well, the stages have interesting gimmicks, and both characters play (slightly) differently and through different stages.

Well, after the start anyway. The initial stages are pretty uneventful and force you to alternate characters, which is a bit lame, but after that things pick up and you can take whichever you like. Being the merry, rotund fellow that I am, I of course just played the entire game as Obelix, who can butt-drop and overhand chop enemies into oblivion, the most manly of ways to dispatch one's foes. There are also some subweapons you can pick up, like a rock you can chuck at people, which is kind of amusing, and a fire potion, but both have important secondary functions -- impromptu platforms across water for one and burning certain blocks with the other.

The former's secondary function is likely the most important, as although your characters can swim, neither can clear paths through breakable blocks while doing so. You get around this with the water platforms, allowing you access to your chop while effectively standing on the water. All things considered, it isn't the most impressive mechanic, but does play an important role in the game at various points and provides a kind of taste of things to come for the rest of the title.

Despite how things start out, the game is a lot less 'Mario' than I've heard some people say, and stages aren't just about reaching a goal at the right end of the stage. Instead, the goal is a locked door (which, to be fair, is usually at the far right of the stage) and a key that is hidden somewhere in the stage for you to find. The path is usually straight forward to both, at least at the start where the two are usually right next to each other, but things certainly become more complicated as the game goes on and additional height levels come into the mix, and there was at least one key that took me a significantly longer time than usual to find.

62202 62203

Along with the hidden key, the game introduces a a lot of interesting mechanics to block your way as you progress. The first are probably the most staple in the game, being these white breakable blocks, and early on you have to clear them quickly to keep a floating platform on the move as the screen attempts to crush you. Later on there are pots that suck you into them, spiders that dart around their web as you try to cross it, walls that require you to drop a weight to open them, water currents that shove you all over the place (pray to God you found a potion to make platforms for this part. X_X), and then there's that absolutely cursed platform in the second picture above that bobs up and down as you try to navigate a spike filled room. All of these obstacles come into play while visiting some regular 2D platformer locals, like a burning building (ship?), a frozen area, a desert, a forest, a water based area, ect. It's a great mix of a lot of things, though I do admit it can feel a bit same-y at times.

About my only complaints for the game are that the music is rather sub par and some stages take WAY too long to get through (seriously, round 6-2, to hell with that stage). Another thing to consider is that this game is 8-bit and should be compared to NES games more than SNES/Genesis ones, which it can feel a bit bland next to. It's a solid title overall and really surprised me, so if you are up for some 8-bit platforming, especially if you enjoy the Asterix license, check this one out. It isn't as good as 8-bit Sonic 1, or many REALLY good NES platformers, but it's still . . .

:party: an awesome game you should know about :party:

http://www.smspower.org/uploads/Screenshots/Asterix-SMS-Title.png

[Necronopticous]

GODS WILL BE WATCHING (http://www.deconstructeam.com/games/gods-will-be-watching/)

[Polnareff]

Well, I found a game today. Remember Me by Dontnod Entertainment. The game got crapped on by critics, if I remember right. But, despite some small flaws, it's a fun game.

The basic premise is that you are a lady named Nilin who has most of her memory wiped by a company that is producing an item called a Sensen, which is supposed to help you relive your best memories. But it's all a coverup for what's really going on: people playing God and stealing/erasing people's memories.

Nilin, after a long struggle, starts to get her powers back so that she can try to not only rally people for her team, but gain all her lost memories back as well.

The game is one part fighting, one part platforming, and one part memory rewriting. The fighting is top-notch although at first it will seem repetitive. You customize your combos with these items called Pressens that you get when you level up. Each Pressen, depending on which slot you adhere it to, gives you a different attack, and some will restore your life upon hit, or restore your focus gauge. Your focus gauge is used to string together powerful attacks, and when it runs out, it gets a timer over it. This timer can go back to normal in about a minute, or, if you have a focus restoring Pressen, just use the combo that contains it and it'll knock about 20 seconds off the timer.

The catch with Pressens? You have to do the specific combo, with the right timing. You can't just mash buttons or they won't work. Scratch that, you CAN mash buttons to win fights, but it makes them last longer and you won't get the bonuses.

There's also the memory overload feature, which also restores the focus gauge. It's as it sounds, she reaches into the opponent's neck and overloads their memory so that they die.

Now, this memory rewriting thing..... it basically works as an interactive cutscene. You can rewind or fast forward through, checking for things to activate or mess around with to screw with the person's memories. The first one involved a woman who was trying to kill Nilin. The objective was to rewrite her memory to make it so that her husband was killed by the doctor who was treating him. I could explain more about why she was trying to kill Nilin, but it'd be a spoiler, and it's also very subtly shown why she was trying to kill her (without actually mentioning why) when you watch the scene. After you activate the different triggers to make him kill the woman's husband, the story changes and the woman joins your cause. Personally, I think this mechanic is kinda cool. It's scripted, but it's never been seen before in any game I've ever played.

Should mention the platforming too. This aspect was one of the ones that got crapped on. I can't see why, since it's basically like Assassin's Creed + Yaiba (if anyone has played Yaiba). The controls for it work just fine, and shimmying around and jumping from pole to pole is actually pretty fun.

I think it's a pretty cool game so far. Bought it for 12 bucks, and haven't regretted it yet.

[Rez09]

GODS WILL BE WATCHING (http://www.deconstructeam.com/games/gods-will-be-watching/)


I died. A lot. T_T
I suspect I could have a lot of fun with the game once I got it down, though. Is there any value to killing off people? I may have randomly executed some happy folks for no reason. <.<



I've never heard of Remember Me, but from what you said and what I saw on Youtube, it looks pretty spiffy. :)




Anyway, I've got another game to share. Prepare le hints! >_< /

1) It's a PC game
2) It started as a DOS game
3) Involves worms with weapons
4) And ninja rope
5) And real time combat

Think you know it?



Liero - Joosa Riekkinen - 1998 - (Does 'Explosions' count as a genre?)

http://www.spidersweb.pl/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/liero.gif

I love artillery games, and some of my fondest PC memories come from the hours I spent playing Gorillas and Tank Wars with friends. The latter was actually the game I was considering putting here, but, in all honesty, Team 17's Worms series is such a superior experience that I couldn't find a reason to drop Tank Wars here, and everyone knows about Worms Armageddon already, so I couldn't put it here either! D:

Then I remembered Liero.

The game certainly drew a lot of inspiration from Worms, perhaps even a bit TOO much, which is why I often feel the title is completely ignored and passed over. To be sure, the DOS days were full of second rate imitations, but Liero is not such a game; Liero is a fully realized title on its own, and, despite its appearance, is not a simple Worms knock off.

The first and most obvious difference between the two is that Liero plays out in real time, with both players constantly on the move and navigating the stages. This also means that the artillery system in the Worms series has been ditched as well, since there is never a solid opportunity to gauge distance and factor in shot power and wind, though aiming is still done in roughly the same manner. Instead, weapons in Liero have a fixed power they always shoot at and dodging is always an important consideration.

Additionally, players do not start with the same general weapon set and pick up additional armaments via random drops like in Worms. Instead, players have five weapon slots they cycle through that are initially populated either randomly or manually before the game begins. Weapon (and health) packages do still appear in stages, but instead of adding to your weapons pile they replace whatever weapon you have equipped, so more consideration is in order when collecting them than in the Worms series. After all, who wants to replace a nuke with a dirt ball?

Ammo is also not a consideration Liero, and weapons are instead balanced by a variable reload timer after a clip is spent, with more powerful weapons like nukes taking much longer to reload than, say, a pistol. Finding the time to reload powerful weapons you've picked up provides an interesting vulnerability twist to the game not present in the Worms series, since they either have something or they don't in those titles.

Ninja rope and destructible terrain are also present in the title, and both operate roughly as expected. For whatever reason, Ninja Rope can grab onto damn near ANYTHING in Liero, including the edges of the screen and other players, which makes it a bit more powerful than in the Worm's series, if that is at all possible. It's also unlimited and unexpiring with no impact firing, so I like to stick myself to the upper edges of a stage and bob around while firing at people. This gets amusingly silly as matches drag on and roughly 80% of the stage ends up a vacuous, blood stained hole due to collateral damage, so you are just bouncing around on a pixel of dirt shooting spiked balls at people (because I like covering the floor in pointy death. >: D).


http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/313028-liero-dos-screenshot-the-green-player-dislodges-the-blue-player.png

All of these elements combine to make an amazingly fun game, and if you happen to enjoy the worms series, or Soldat, Liero is completely worth your time and attention. It's a bit odd getting used to playing multiplayer with a single keyboard, but it is easy enough to overcome, and the game is SUPER small and easy to find (and free), so go pick it up. That is, unless a game like this is super unappealing to you, then you probably shouldn't. :roll2 Either way, although it isn't as polished as Worms Armaggedon, Liero is totally . . .
:party:an awesome game you should know about.:party:


Also, if you do find the game appeals to you and you'd like to get a bit more out of the title, the game has an absolutely awesome fanbase who picked up work on the project after the original developer left it. They've made tons of awesome mods for the game, and even a few expanded source ports and sequels of sorts. My personal favorite of the bunch is OpenLieroX, which is a stand-alone game I fully recommend that comes packaged with a ton of fun stages, crazy weapon packs, silly skins, and netplay.

http://www.openlierox.net/official/screenshots/olx8.png

I don't know much about the project's current status, or even how well it plays online since I usually stick with LAN games, but it's everything the original Liero was and more. There's even an option to play in the original stage with the original weapon pack, as I recall, though I do believe one of the weapons was removed for whatever reason. (Guided missile, maybe? I really can't remember).

[Rez09]

Up next, another one of my favorite multiplayer games of all time (though people seem iffy about giving it a fair shot). For the hints:

1) It's an NES game
2) Developed by Technos
3) It's a hockey game
4) Part of a long and diverse series
5) Cheerleaders vs. football team all day! >_< /

Have any guesses?



Ike Ike! Nekketsu Hackey-bu - Technos / Technos - 1992 - Hockey

http://img.gamefaqs.net/box/0/4/2/49042_front.jpg



Where to even begin with this title. I'd say it's like NBA Jam is to most basketball games, but even that wouldn't be doing this title justice. Where NBA Jam had half-court dunks, Ike Ike has players flying through the air like helicopters; where NBA Jam had players with high-accuracy 'on-fire' shots, Ike Ike has teddy bears jump kicking goalies in the face; where NBA Jam allowed pushing to steal the ball, Ike Ike allows full on SUPLEXING to steal the puck.



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(SUUUUUUUUUUUPLEX!)


Of course, not all teams have each of these abilities -- that would be silly. Instead there are 8 teams to pick from in multiplayer, most of which have their own unique identity based around another sport, and each has distinctive abilities they bring to the rink. The baseball team, for instance, uses bats instead of hockey sticks and can smash pucks in the air (where they end up surprisingly often, actually. :o) like a baseball, sending it flying across the stage, and the Kendo team can shoot blade beams while jumping. Additionally, each team also has a special shot its players can perform by charging their slap shots, like the cheerleaders' previously mentioned teddy bear, which sends players flying as it hops to the enemy goal, or the football players' shot that shoots straight up in the air and knocks out the goalie (unless they time their catch properly) when it falls back down. This adds a great, arcadey diversity to the game that sets it apart from other hockey titles and makes it a lot more interesting, especially once a person settles on a team they really like.



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It isn't just the teams adding spice to the title either, as there are several rinks to select from that have special properties as well, each of which are encountered while progressing through single player mode or available right off the bat to select in multiplayer. There's the normal no frills arena and an improved version of it used for the championship games, one with bouncy walls, one with tiny ice chunks that send the puck ricocheting all over the place, and one laden with land mines -- though why the other four exist with the last one available I'll never know. I mean, who would ever want to play Hockey without explosives? :shrug:


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The game has quite a bit of depth to it as well, though silly team powers and land mines might lead one to believe otherwise. For one, almost everything in the game is timing based, especially when it comes to stopping pucks with the goalie and performing special shots. This means that mindless mashing will only get you so far, but it is also extremely easy to get a feel for most of the commands as long as you practice a bit. This can be a bit annoying when blocking special shots though, as you need to know the height to block at as well as the timing and messing up means a free goal for the opposing team, but at the same time setting up power shots can be risky and properly blocking it both gives you control of the puck and they likely lost health charging the puck. It's just too bad I still haven't figured out how to pass properly yet. :-/


62360
(I hope that pass knows where it's going, because I sure as hell don't.)


Unfortunately, for all the talking up I can do for this game it is still a sports title, and if you hold absolutely no love for the genre there is only so much the game can offer you. On the other hand, if you are open to sports games consider giving this title a chance. Technos did pretty well with their sports lineup, their most famous entry being Super Dodgeball, and Ike Ike! is unlike any other hockey game I've tried and is a complete blast to play with three other lighthearted people. It's silly, it's fast, it's arcadey, and it is absolutely . . .

:party:an awesome game you should know about:party:

H0qJNRfboMY

[Rez09]

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Well, it's been a while, but I thought of four more awesome games to throw out, two for the SNES and two for the Genesis. So let's skip everything else and get those hints out! \ ^_^ /

For the first title:

1) It's a side-scrolling shooter on the Genesis, released by Technosoft in '92
2) It's the fourth entry in the series and the last released in the SNES/MD generation
3) You select between four stages at the start of the game
4) You can swap between weapons and upgrade them on the fly, but you lose / downgrade whatever weapon you had selected when you die.

Think you know it?





Lightening Force / Thunder Force IV - Technosoft / Technosoft - 1992 - Side-scrolling shooter


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9e/Thunder_Force_IV.jpg


Sometimes it surprises me how much enjoyment I manage to get from a genre I am so unbelievably bad at, and this game is no exception. Despite it being rather 'easy', from what I've been told anyway, I've still yet to beat it, but that doesn't change how much I enjoy the title.

The first thing that ALWAYS strikes me about this title is how pretty it is, especially since it incorporates a GREAT parallax scrolling effect in the background that makes everything stand out more.



http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/35807-lightening-force-quest-for-the-darkstar-genesis-screenshot.gif
(Sooooo pretty. Q_Q)


The second is the extreme vertical freedom you have in most stages, as you can (usually) move up and down roughly two to three screens worth of space, allowing you more freedom to avoid enemies and attacks (sometimes).

There's also the game's unique weapon system, where, instead of having a single weapon that gets replaced when you find new pickups, all of your weapons are stored in a bar you can freely cycle through to get the best weapon for the job at hand. Each weapon also levels and degrades independently of each other, so you rarely find yourself completely underpowered for an area after death.



http://www.pixel-heroes.pixelkitsch.de/BossGallery/bgScreenshots/bgThunderForce42.png
(Level 2 first and second weapon, level 1 third, you get the idea. ;) )


I have been told in the past that LF/TF IV is inferior to the third title, but, having played both, I just never managed to enjoy the third game as much, despite their similar mechanics. Anyway, if you have a Genesis/Mega Drive and are open to side-scrolling shooters, give this game a look. The Thunder Force series in general is quite solid, this being my favorite entry in the series, and while it will never be as well known as R-Type or Gradius, or even Darius, it still remains . . .

:party:an awesome game you should know about:party:




For the second gameu:

1) It's a Genesis / Megadrive port of an arcade title
2) It's developed by Namco
3) It's a vertical shooter
4) It's inspired by Greek mythology
5) There's a lady-type person trapped behind a wall, yo! :o

Got a guess?




Phelios - Namco / Namco - 1990 - Vertical Shooter

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41qyMQ+bGRL._SL500_AA300_.jpg


Who loves Greek mythology? Rez loves Greek mythology! Is it true? Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes it's truuu-oooo~ I do, I do, I dooo-oooo~~ And that's why, when I saw this game in a local pawn shop as a kid, I knew I had to own it. I got to ride Pegasus, I got to fight Medusa and a giant harpy, Artemis needed saving -- it was awesome! I mean, the whole affair is crazy inaccurate from a mythological standpoint, but I didn't really care. Turns out I still really don't. :roll2

From a mechanical point of view, Phelios isn't anything particularly special outside of the material it drew inspiration from. You fly around on Pegasus and fire energy shots from your sword at things you don't like, collecting occasional powerups that heal you or give you temporary weapon powerups, like a pretty sweet wave shot and Gradius-style Options.


http://www.consoleclassix.com/info_img/Phelios_GEN_ScreenShot4.gif
(Pewpewpewpew!)


You also have a much appreciated health bar, greatly alleviating the annoyance of one-hit kills so present in the genre, though colliding with solid objects will still instantly kill you (as I recall). There's also the ability to charge your shots, which fills up the sword on the right and drastically increases the damage you deal, not to mention allows your shots to pierce multiple (weaker) enemies.


But really, nice as these mechanics are, it's the setting that really makes the game. I loved the feeling of chasing down the 'big bad' and fighting famous mythological monsters, from Medusa to Gryphons to the titan Typhon himself at the end of the game. I also really love the first stage, flying over Greece and into a giant temple. The game even attempted to insert a bit of narrative into the experience that I appreciate, with each stage ending with Typhon being a jerk or Artemis urging you on, providing a little bit of story to the game, minor though it may be. Typhon has quite the fetish it seems as well.


http://shmups.com/reviews/phelios/phelios53.gif
:whoa:


It culminates in a particularly interesting way in the final stage, where you have to collect pieces to upgrade your sword so you are strong enough to face Typhon, something I've never seen in another shooter (EDIT: Though R-Type Final and III have story-ish final boss fights). Your final weapon is all kinds of crazy too, replacing your normal charge shot with a crazy plamsa deathball. Which, of course, I used a Game Genie to give myself at the start of the game, because I'm terrible at shooters and it made me feel like the God Apollo probably should be. :roll2

So in closing, if vertical shooters are more your fare than horizontal ones like Thunder Force IV, Phelios might be an interesting title to pick up. It's solid mechanically, though it offers relatively little that could be considered new to the genre, and it's a lot of fun playing through the mythology-inspired world. I wouldn't put it on par with Star Soldier or Recca (neither of which are Genesis titles, I suppose. <.<), but Phelios is still . . .
:party:an awesome game you should know about:party:



Game numbah 3!

1) It's an SNES game developed by Manfred Trenz (Turrican) for the Super Famicom
2) Mixes on foot and spaceship side-scrolling shooting
3) Like Thunder Force, you can cycle between multiple weapons with their own levels
4) Your character reminds me of the Doom-guy when on foot :eek:
5) The (non-reproduction) game is rather pricey

What could it beeeee now~~



Rendering Ranger:R2 - Rainbow Arts / Virgin Interactive - 1995 - Side-Scrolling Shooter


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e6/Rendering_Ranger_R2_box.jpg


This is a game I consistently find on lists of overpriced games that are simply not worth the entrance fee, and, for the most part, I can generally agree with that, especially if you are a collector after an in-box copy and avoiding reproduction carts. Fortunately, however, I ran into this title through emulation without knowing ANYTHING about it, so I went in without the title needing to prove anything to me and was actually quite satisfied with it. The game is challenging while being fully completable, the weapons are (almost) all useful in their own circumstances, the game sounds great, and the flying stages are a lot of fun, while the foot stages are decent enough (though never exceptional).

Looking at the title itself, the game is split between two modes, on-foot and flying side-scrolling shooters, as you fend off a robot invasion. Most mechanics are shared between the two modes, and you power up your weapons like most space-based shooters, collecting variously colored icons to get new weapons and power up the ones you have. Much like Thunder Force, you can swap between the weapons you own at any point and each has important special properties to it, like ricocheting bullets or spread fire, and death only reduces the power of the weapon you are currently using. Each weapon also comes with a unique smart bomb that regenerates over time -- one weapon, for instance, shoots a high-powered laser beam that continually damages enemies within it, while another shoots a quick shockwave.


http://i.ytimg.com/vi/2liTcrxOESA/hqdefault.jpg
(Boooooomba!)


You also have a healthbar like in Phelios and can take several hits without dying, instagib pits on foot excepting, and you can additionally get a shield from collecting health pickups while at max health. This gives you a lot of tankiness in the game, which is always appreciated when you play as poorly as I do, especially because, despite how much effective health you will have between the bar and shields, running headlong into danger WILL get you killed and there are NO continues in this game -- you've got five lives and they damn well better carry you to victory.

Well, unless you are like me and hunt for secrets everywhere and find a bunch more. :roll2 Which you then promptly lose because you can't play space shooters for trout. ._. Also, does anyone else think your character looks like the Doom guy? Anyone?

http://www.emuparadise.me/Super%20Nintendo/Snaps/Rendering%20Ranger%20R2%20(J).png
(Maybe I'm just insane.)


The first two stages take place on foot, but once you start the third stage the game turns into what feels almost like a Thunder Force clone, which is all kinds of acceptable to me, and it alternates off and on from there. As I said before, all of the mechanics from the foot stages are present in the flying ones, from the smart bombs to the healthbar and shields, but a rather unique mechanic comes in with the ability to change the direction you are facing. You'll always be moving forward, but you can turn around and fire behind you, which becomes very important in later stages (the second to last area in particular) when enemies come from all sides.

The game looks and plays GREAT during these flying sections, and some of my favorite Shmup stages ever are in this game -- stage 7 in particular, though stage 3 and 6 are great as well. These stages have a great mix of mechanics, music, graphics, and difficulty I just adore.


pe1vQnfzLVs


In the end, R2 isn't an amazing title, and as I said before it certainly isn't worth its price tag, but I found it to be an enjoyable experience overall, and if you enjoy either gameplay type the game presents, I'd can only recommend that you give this one a try. It is a satisfying experience to complete, and though far from the best the SNES has to offer, it is still . . .
:party:an awesome game you should know about:party:




Annnnnnd finally, game number 4!

1) It's a side-scrolling shooter from Konami on the SNES
2) Octopuses may be involved
3) Excessive silliness is most DEFINITELY involved
4) It's the fourth game in its series
5) That's the way~~ (uh-huh uh-huh) I like it~~

What'chu think? :holmes:



Jikkyo Oshaberi Parodius - Konami / Konami - 1995 - Side-Scrolling Shooter



http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/gradius/images/1/1d/Jikkyou_Parodius.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110126190605


Man must never underestimate the Konami.

Never. ._.

While I do enjoy the Gradius series to some degree, Gradius II in particular, Konami was never a company who's shmups I had much love for -- I much prefer Irem's R-Type series and Tehnosoft's Thunder Force. I'd even tried out one of the earlier Parodius titles on the . . . NES I believe, but it was still rather 'meh'. Imagine my surprise when I loaded this gem up one day and found something to rival R-Type III for my favorite shooter on the SNES. :whoa:

If you are unaware, the Parodius series is a silly cross-over spin-off of the Gradius series, where you take control of various Konami characters flying through funny stages, collecting sometimes ridiculous powerups, and fighting (to put it lightly) amusing bosses. You know, kind of like this:


http://i.ytimg.com/vi/yA8f521tEb4/hqdefault.jpg


On top of these features, each character has a different weapon loadout, so using the Octopus isn't the same as using, say, the neutered cat, who, to my amusement, throws homing balls everywhere.

The best part of this game, though, is the announcer. This is one of the SNES games that has voice samples in it that sound great. This man is SOOO hype for anything I do, like sometimes he goes nuts for no reason as I'm flying through empty space and I'm all:
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It's not an important feature, especially since I have NO idea what he is saying/yelling, but it adds some seriously amusing flavor to the game and is a great addition.

Unfortunately, that's about all I have to say about this entry, but that's not because of poor quality, more that the game is really just a BETTER Gradius. It follows all of the same rules, collecting powerups to move the upgrade bar to which upgrade you want and then activating the bar, with missiles and lasers and ripple beams and shields and whatnot. If you are a Gradius fan, play this game; if you are a side-scrolling shmup fan, play this game; if you are looking for something quirky to play, play this game! I really like all four entries on this list today, but I think this is easily the best of the group, and it is most definitely . . .

:party:an awesome game you should know about! :party:

[Mirage]

Games I like that aren't very well known and haven't been mentioned already:

Rez, Child of Eden, Battlezone.

I could post videos, but at least for the two first games, videos don't really do the games justice, as a big part of it is the feel you get from it while actually playing, and the feedback the game gives to you, which includes heavy vibration usage.

Rez and Child of eden are musical shooters (technically, i guess), with awesome music and really trippy graphics. They are unfortunately very short so it's hard to justify buying them unless you find them pretty cheap.

Battlezone is a RTS/FPS hybrid set to an alternate history space race. Basically, the cold war was actually a hot war, and it took place in space.

[Shauna]

Battlezone is awesome.

[Rez09]

Games I like that aren't very well known and haven't been mentioned already:

Rez, Child of Eden, Battlezone.

Rez was a really interesting game, and I loved how the tracks 'evolved' as you played, though I do agree it was rather short. :'( It always reminds me a bit of Vib Ribbon, both using that wire look and being music focused, though that's where the similarities end. I've never heard of Child of Eden though, so I'mma have to check it out.


Battlezone is a RTS/FPS hybrid set to an alternate history space race. Basically, the cold war was actually a hot war, and it took place in space. On this day I learned there was a remake of Battlezone. :o

[Mirage]

It's not as much a remake as it is just having the rights to the name and using it for a different and completely unrelated game.

Child of eden is essentially Rez' sequel. Gameplay is roughly the same.

[Rez09]

Now for one of my favorite games EVAH!

1) It's a PSP game released by Capcom 2006
2) It's a remake
3) Involves a super fighting robot
4) Isn't Maverick Hunter X

Think you got it?



Mega Man Powered Up - Capcom / Capcom - 2006 - Side-Scrolling Platformer

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/93/Mega_Man_Powered_Up_cover_art.png


You know what game doesn't get a lot of love? The original Mega Man. I mean, sure, most people acknowledge that it was a decent title, but no one seems to speak especially highly of it, and (almost) everyone also seems to agree that every sequel it had was superior to it. Well, eventually Capcom noticed that too and decided to give the title some love in '06 with this update, and I am absolutely THRILLED that they did. From new stages to new bosses, this is a remake where absolutely EVERYTHING was done right, and, assuming you are a Mega Man fan, this is one of THE must have titles for the PSP.

So what did they change? Well, the first and most glaring change is the graphical style. Instead of sticking with a 2D style, Capcom decided on a rather cute 2.5D SD look for the game. This seems to be the most controversial decision the game made, from what I can tell, and I do know some people who were displeased with it, but I actually liked it quite a bit and never felt it in any way hindered the game. It gave the title a fresh graphical feel that fit both the series and the lighthearted feel Capcom was shooting for perfectly, and I feel the SD look aged better than the similar non-SD style used in Maverick Hunter X.



http://www.igxpro.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/mega-man-powered-up-2.jpg
(My head is 50% of my body mass. I approve of this.)


Along with the graphics, Capcom also decided to make some applaudable tweaks to the game's bosses, both in the addition of two new ones and changes to the old ones. Regarding the former, the original Mega Man was the only game in the classic series with six robot masters instead of eight, so weaknesses were changed up a bit and Time Man and Oil Man were added into the game. Oil Man's stage includes flammable oil similar to that seen in MM6 that you can also slip in, while Time Man's stage has pendulums and treadmills, and both bosses are about on par with the original six.

Regarding the changes to the original Robot Masters, all bosses in the game now have both dialogue and personalities, as well as new 'super' moves on higher difficulties. This means there's even more flavor and definition to the original bosses, which is a pretty spiffy addition, especially the personalities given to Fire and Elec Man.



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(FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRE!)


They also weren't content to simply add these elements to the game, nooo, for the first (and only) time in the franchise Capcom also made every Robot Master a playable character as well, with their own special properties, like Fireman's head getting doused in water and losing his projectile, and special paths through stages, like ElecMan's ability to move certain blocks in several stages. It was such a great feature and one Capcom didn't half-ass in the least (although they easily could have). And, of course, fan favorites Protoman and Roll are playable as well, with Roll having tons of cute outfits, like a witch and Arthur from Ghouls 'n' Ghosts, to pick from. ;)



http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/megaman/images/6/69/Rollpoweredup.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width/436?cb=20100822003200
(Hitting people with the box of chocolate if mah favorite. :))


This, of course, highlights another great attribute of the game, because you don't start with all of these things unlocked. In fact, at the start of the game what you have is super basic -- just Rockman and a new introduction stage to play through. Everything else you have to earn -- bosses from beating them with just your buster, Proto from completing challenge mode, stage creation kits from Robot Master only paths through stages, ect. The game is LOADED with tons of bonus content and unlockables like these, and there is even an awesome stage creation mode that you can share and receive stages with!

In all honesty I could just keep rambling on about this game, but the bottom line is that if you have a PSP and even just like Mega Man, you should pick this game up. It is easily among the best MM titles ever created and is absolutely
:party:an awesome game you should know about:party:


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(I am the terror that toasts in the night!)

[Rez09]

This next title is one I imagine almost everyone either doesn't know about or overlooked, but I'mma throw out hints all the same. :)

1) It's a Genesis title from 1995
2) It shares its name with an SNES title, though both are completely different games
3) It's a licensed title based on a famous Hanna-Barbera property

Think you got it?


Scooby-Doo Mystery - Illusions Gaming Company / Acclaim - 1995 - Point & Click Adventure

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/scoobydoo/images/5/52/SDMSG_Front_Cover.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130609145120


You know what's amazing? Somehow nostalgia has nothing to do with me liking this title. I didn't even know it existed until I randomly picked it up a few years back, and like anyone in their right mind I expected it to be absolute garbage (especially once I saw the intro cutscene. X_X). It's a good thing I have that whole "game over or 15 minute rule", because this title is actually quite good, at least when considering its limitations.

The first thing this game does right is departing from its expected genre, opting for a very SCUMM-esque point and click style instead of some kind of misguided platforming mishap like most other Scooby Doo titles do.



http://www.sega-16.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/0007.png


This lends itself exceptionally well to the source material, as exploring locations and stumbling onto clues feels natural and it allows a lot of dialogue to be inserted without it feeling like the pace of the game is being ruined. The D-Pad is a poor replacement for a mouse, but it never hinders things. The developers even managed to fit some of the series' staples, like the multiple doorway chases, into the game, which I was definitely not expecting.



http://www.onthestick.com/images/452.png



The second thing the title does right is that it includes two mysteries on the cartridge, a haunted ski lodge and a haunted carnival, instead of just making a longer, single story. This keeps things moving along in both stories and prevents either from feeling artificially inflated (beyond normal adventure game fare), while only having two allowed the developer to fit adequate content into both. The game is fairly short in spite of this, especially when you know what you are doing, but it's still satisfyingly lengthy the first time around without a guide (that said, don't use a guide for this unless you get really stuck; the game's not too bad outside of a few select moments and a walkthrough really kills the experience :)).

Anyway, there isn't much else to say about the title, other than that I wish I had gotten it as a kid, but if you are interested in a solid Point and Click for the Genesis, or a good Scooby Doo game, check this one out. My only warning is that there are some extremely well known problems with the game's audio when emulating it, so if the intro music sounds like this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weHFbWPSl5U) you might want to swap your emulator, but other than that the game is worth the couple of hours it takes to play through. Though the title isn't the best adventure game available for consoles of the era, especially with Snatcher, Secret of Monkey Island, and Famicom Detective Club floating around, it's still fun and remains . . .
:party:an awesome game you should know about!:party:

[Kyros]

I've played some of these, including Scooby Doo.

Has nobody mentioned Legend of Dragoon yet? I still have it with the colored discs. According to my friend it's worth a lot, but I don't plan on ever selling it. I wish they'd come out with a sequel for it though I know that'll never happen T_T

[Rez09]

I don't think anyone HAS mentioned LoD yet! :o

And I feel your pain waiting for that sequel; I especially want a prequel. The Dragon Campaign sounded super interesting and I'd love to be able to play through it, even knowing how it turns out beforehand.

[Rez09]

Alrighty, two more. :D

First up is a classic from ye olden days of gaming:

1) It's a port of an arcade game for the Atari 2600
2) Best played with 4 players
3) Uses the 'paddle' controller
4) Breakout wishes it was this good.
63419

What could it beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee?



Warlords - Atari / Atari - 1981 - 4-player breakout-pong :confused:

http://cdn3.spong.com/pack/w/a/warlords197518l/_-Warlords-Atari-2600-VCS-_.jpg


I LOVE the Atari 2600. Seriously, easily one of my top 5 consoles, and games like Warlords are the reason why. Despite how utterly basic it is, I have never had as much fun with a multiplayer game as I have had playing this with friends.


http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/warlords/2600_06.png

The premise is extremely simple: use the paddle to direct the ball into the walls of the enemy's castle, smashing them down so you can hit the king inside. Being an Atari 2600 game, there are additional options controllable with switches on the console that change the game mechanics as well, such as switching between slow and high ball speed (a 'fireball' and 'lighting bolt', as I recall :roll2), and you can pick between sticky or ricochet shields. Personally, I'm all about sticky shields and lightning bolts, as fully controllable, high-speed death is where it's at. >: D

But I'mma let you in on a secret here, the real magic of this game has almost nothing to do with its mechanics at all (which are great, by the by), noooooo, it's a completely meta thing here that makes this one so good. You see, deep down, people are kind of assholes, and this game really brings that out in people. And I don't mean in a violent outburst kind of way, I mean that when you find yourself three rounds ahead and two short of victory, you suddenly notice that subtle alliance blue and purple seem to have formed against you. And when you bring it up to yellow that, maybe, it might be wise to form an alliance, you can't help but notice his bottom wall is missing, and you can get that ball up there ever so quickly . . .

The game is absolutely perfect arcadey multiplayer, and if you happen to have any interest in the 2600 this is a title you definitely need to play. If you aren't a person with interest in the console, but still like fast paced competitive multiplayer games, you may still enjoy the title on a newer platform, as an updated version was released on PSN/XBLA a while back that might be worth looking into. Those releases added a few new mechanics, to my understanding, but the basic formula is the same. The game certainly isn't for everyone, as is the case with many 2600 releases, but I'll always love it and, in my mind, it remains . . .


:party:an awesome game you should know about!:party:


http://gamersxtreme.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/warlords_screen_01_0_0.jpg



For the second game . . .

1) It's another Breakout-style game
2) You can play as a knight, a mage, a mermaid, a robot, or an owlman
3) It supports 4-players ;)
4) It has a story mode and bosses!
Got a guess? :holmes:



Firestriker - Axes Art Amuse / DTMC - 1993 - Breakout Done Better

http://img.gamefaqs.net/box/7/1/2/50712_front.jpg

So, funny story, and I may be completely alone on this, but, uh, I . . . hate Breakout. I have always found the titles, and clones like Arkanoid, utterly boring and tedious. Fortunately, it's an easily fixed formula, as Atari demonstrated with the previously mentioned Warlords, and Axes Art Amuse, despite the terribad boxart, did again with Firestriker.


http://www.roms-search.com/snes/img/firestriker-snes-rom-02.jpg

In the game you control a knight (at the start) that can freely move around a stage and you swing your sword to shoot the ball into breakable blocks and monsters. At the bottom of the screen is a gap, usually with destructable blocks covering it, that you die if the ball falls through. To help defend against that you have a mage you can move with L/R or a friend can control with the second controller (not that they have to stay down there :roll2). You can also gain power shots that launch the ball straight up, regardless of its previous trajectory or your position, and deal additional damage to terrain and potentially get the ball out of the screen.

This is important because, in another much appreciated departure from Breakout, your goal is no longer to destroy every block in a stage. Instead, stages end when you shoot the ball out of the top of the screen, which often requires you to clear a path through blocks and monsters in the area. Sometimes there are gates you need to open as well, or, in several stages, you instead have to use the ball to kill a boss.


http://www.vizzed.com/vizzedboard/retro/user_screenshots/saves47/470324/SNES--Firestriker_Dec14%2017_54_58.png

There's even a storyline to the game, though it is quite basic, and as you progress through it you traverse a world map and unlock additional characters, each with different speed and hitstrength properties (thought I think player 2 is always stuck as the mage). Personally, I love the robot, though he is super slow and harder to use than other characters -- an unfortunate trait that carries over to multiplayer.


http://www.consoleclassix.com/info_img/Fire_Striker_SNES_ScreenShot2.gif

Speaking of which, the multiplayer is a pretty cool mix of game modes, feeling like either a mad spinning death match or something more like a soccer game, depending on the map you pick. All of the characters are selectable from the get-go and powershot pickups randomly appear on the map. It's never as good as Warlords, but it's still fun and one of the relatively few four-player games for the system.


http://hem.bredband.net/felplacerad/projekt06/images/snes/fire_striker-2.png


Overall, the game is a great take on Breakout, and I really think more people need to give this one a try. It certainly isn't perfect, but the new things it tries work more than they don't, and at the very least the simple story, bosses, and unlockable characters make it a more engaging title. If you are a Breakout fan, or just looking for something new to try on the SNES, give this one a try. It's not the best, but it is . . .

:party:an awesome game you should know about:party:

[Rez09]

This one enough people seem to know of, but no one ever says anything about it so maybe not . . .

1) It's a PC game
2) It's a 4x game set in space
3) Second in a series of three
4) Space amoebas and dragons! D:
5) I can frame other races when I spy on people. :cool:

My hints suck. :)



Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares - SimTex / MicroProse - 1996 - Turn-based 4X

http://img.gamefaqs.net/box/0/2/8/5028_front.jpg


There have been some pretty great offerings in the space 4x genre, and everyone has their own favorites. Some of my friends are solidly behind Alpha Centauri, some behind Sins of Solar Empire (which some people debate is a 4X game), and a few are behind the Galactic Civ series, but Master of Orion II is still my favorite. There's something about the depth its simple exterior holds I love, from my diplomatic options to the leaders I can hire for my systems and fleets, to the sheer customization I have over my ship designs, to taking over other races and breeding them for ideal tasks. This game is on one of my flashdrives and is one of the only PC games that goes with me pretty much everywhere I go.

Starting the game, there are 13 unique races to pick from, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as the option to make a custom race with player selected bonuses and penalties. Not all of the races are equal, of course, so the game isn't perfectly balanced, but seeing that I always play as the Darlocks, who are generally considered one of the worst races in the game, and do well enough, the gap is never insurmountable. It's a lot of fun learning what each race can do and how to play them. Spying is also super satisfying in this game, even if it usually ends up with people quite unhappy (see also: at war) with you, but that's fine because then you can just use your spies to sabotage their defenses. :)


http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/222705-master-of-orion-ii-battle-at-antares-dos-screenshot-race-selection.png

<3


Most of the game plays out on three screens: a spacemap where you can see the placement of all of the systems (though the details of them are hidden to you unless you send a ship to explore them), colony screens where you can assign what is being built and what people are doing, and war screens for combat. There's also diplomacy, ship design, and research screens to manage, but significantly less time is spent in those.

http://static.gog.com/upload/images/2010/04/71ba2059145d80bb3852e31561da552897eda88e.jpg

As you juggle your research, production, and economy you spread across the galaxy reaching for one of several victory conditions: eliminating all other races, being voted galaxy leader, or taking out a 14th race that periodically invades and menaces the galaxy. You can also uncover the Orion star system the game is named after, which contains an excellent planet defended by a powerful guardian that must be defeated to claim it, also netting you a special ship and bonus technologies in the process. Though not required for victory, the Orion system is almost always extremely helpful in taking control of the game.

http://www.rengels.de/computer/orion2/image/orion2_guardian.png

(pewpewpew)


I'm not especially great at explaining why I like games, or even why they are good, but I know what I enjoy and this game is awesome. It is extremely basic to look at now, and it takes some time to learn, but there is plenty of depth to the experience and I've always felt everything was done right in the title. The game can be picked up (with the first game as well) on GoG for 6 USD, and it's hard to go wrong for that price, especially if you enjoy 4x games. It was actually one of (if not the) first games I got on the site, and you should grab it too because MoO2 is absolutely . . .

:party:an awesome game you should know about!:party:

[Rez09]

Trapt - Paon / Tecmo - 2005 - Strategic murder funbox. O_oa

http://img.gamefaqs.net/box/0/4/9/69049_front.jpg


Actually, this is more a recommendation for the entire Deception series, I just chose Trapt because I think it is the most approachable of the bunch. The whole series is fun and unique though, so any entry you can pick up, save the original I suppose, is worth looking into.

So, what are the Deception games? Generally speaking, in these games you take control of an 'unarmed' character residing in a building while waves of attackers are sent in to kill you. You defend yourself by placing various kinds of damage dealing traps and killing them first, your arsenal ranging from the basics like push walls and giant boulders that drop from the ceiling to more complex things like vacuum floors and giant bladed yo-yos.


http://www.futuregamez.net/ps2games/trapt/trapt3.jpg
(And this thing)


Traps are broken into three groups based on where they are placed in the room -- either the ceiling, the walls, or the floor -- and are triggered with a corresponding button. You place said traps from a separate menu that shows a top-down grid of the room you are in, and each trap shows its effect range and direction (when applicable), so you can line up combos, which is actually where a TON of the fun in the game comes from. You can drop a vase on someone's head, for instance, then have them stumble into your spear wall, then fling them into the air with a springboard and onto an electric chair or fire pit. You can get some really spiffy combos if you are inventive enough, and the game rewards you for it too, giving you bonus money for longer combos using different traps.


http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/GAMES/large/traptps2_002-large.jpg

And what is that money for? Well, that depends from game to game, and there can be more than one type of currency for you to collect, but in the case of Trapt money can be used to unlock new rooms in the mansion / castle, new outfits, and in the development of new traps. Trap development follows an invisible flow chart of sorts, so you often need to spread your research out a bit to get better versions of the stuff you like, but that also means you'll constantly have lots of nifty other traps to try out.


http://lparchive.org/Deception-II/Update%202/1-ePSXe_2007-05-24_21-45-15-07.jpg

You'll also want to mix up your arsenal a bit to deal with different types of enemies, as they come in various classes with immunity/resistances to certain trap types. More nimble enemies are particularly difficult to hit with floor traps, for instance, and big guys basically ignore push walls. Trapt also introduces what can be considered 'mega' traps to the series, which are special, large stage traps that require special actions to trigger and give a significant amount of bonus money. These can be rather difficult to trigger, not to mention find in the first place, but they always feel rewarding when you finally DO manage to pull them off.


http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/deception/trapt-18.jpg

While I don't consider Trapt the best in the series, I do consider it probably the easiest title for a new player to get into, as the first title plays a lot differently and the second and third feel a bit clunky, not to mention it was available on PSN last I knew and so is easy to get ahold of. :)

There's also fifth game in the series, Deception IV, that came out for the PS3 not too long ago that might be worth looking into, but I haven't played it yet and despise how fanservicey it decided to get with the armor breaking mechanic. Still, it looks solid from everything I've seen and the series' pedigree is good, so . . . it might be worth checking out instead.

That aside, Trapt is a surprisingly fun game with a lot to unlock and tons of fun to be had with spiffy traps, and if you are looking for something new to play that you may not have encountered before, give this title (or any other title in its franchise) a shot. It certainly isn't the best game around, but it is . . .

:party:an awesome game you should know about!:party:

MbEj58rBA3g

[Rez09]

You know, I tried just putting the spoiler tag without hints and it felt rather lonely, so back to the original formula. :)

1) It's an SNES remake of an NES classic
2) Only available in Japan (Sooooo ... an SFC remake of an FDS game if you want to be technical. :roll2)
3) Only available via Broadcast Satellaview
4) Up, left, down, left

Got an idea?



BS The Legend of Zelda: Third Quest / Fourth Quest - Nintendo / Nintendo - 1995 / 1996 - Top-Down Action

http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/zelda/images/e/e7/Title_Screen_(BS_The_Legend_of_Zelda).gif/revision/latest?cb=20060822105633


So, the Legend of Zelda series is easily one of the most loved and popular around, and there are a lot of different titles people happily call their favorite. Some people liked the side-scrolling second title, some stand firmly behind Link's first 3D outing, and some prefer the first SNES entry. Personally, my favorite is the original title, with its more exploration heav --

Wait, first SNES entry?

Yeah, so it turns out that Nintendo actually released LttP/TotG and two additional Zelda games, The Legend of Zelda: The Ancient Stone Tablets (an altered version of Link to the Past with a new story) and BS The Legend of Zelda (a remake of the original title), on the SNES via the Broadcast Satellaview in Japan



http://insidermedia.ign.com/insider/image/zelda_bs_screens1.jpg

Now, if you are like me and loved the original game, this is pretty great news all on its own, but BS Legend of Zelda isn't just a graphical facelift of the original game -- it's actually more like a third (and fourth) quest! Like the original second quest, dungeons have been moved around and redesigned, and additionally a few new mechanics show up as well, such as fairies that give you unlimited bombs for a period of time or tons of monsters spawning randomly, and you even get the option of picking between a male or female main character. Of course, none of these things revolutionize or drastically change the original formula to any meaningful extent, but they do add a pleasant twist to the game.



http://bszelda.zeldalegends.net/bs1m2pix/m2time.png

That said, there is a bit of a catch to the whole thing, which is why I'm recommending the Third and Fourth Quest versions of the game instead of just BS Legend of Zelda itself. You can look up the exact details if you are curious, but in the original version of BS you play as the BS Avatar instead of Link, and the game itself was originally broken up into four timed parts for weekly broadcasts that people effectively 'tuned into' and downloaded, which came complete with streamed voice acting and music -- which is actually all kinds of badass, especially when the Old Man blows up all the enemies on the screen with a random magic spell he finds, and you can check out some videos of here (http://bszelda.zeldalegends.net/bs1-2vot1.shtml).



http://i.giflike.com/WM2KuP6.gif
(Kapow!)

UNfortunately, however, this means nothing but bad things overall for the game in its vanilla form. First off, minor though it may be, because the Satellaview was never released outside of Japan exceptionally few people will have any connection with its avatars and would much rather control the absent Link. Second, the timer is pushy and events can be permanently missed, which works poorly with a game built around exploration, especially since you cannot hear any hints the game is providing about where things may be located, such as a heart container that washes ashore for a brief time that the Old Man tells you about. This, conveniently, highlights the third big downside: the game was meant to have a lot of information audibly relayed to the player, and it is an entire element of the experience that simply cannot be replicated via the ROM alone.



http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/zelda/images/e/e9/Zelda_BS.png/revision/latest?cb=20060125200218
(Y'know, I can't help but feel I'm missing something halfway across the map right now . . .)

It is for these reasons I recommend one of the many ROM hacks of the game floating around that address these issues, the Third and Fourth Quest hacks being my preferred versions. These patches remove the timer, adjust events previously linked to the timer to be linked to Tri-Force piece count instead, swap the BS avatars to Link and Zelda (Can Zelda save princess Zelda from Ganon at the end? O_oa), and seem to have world events -- like vanishing fairies -- occur largely randomly. I've generally found it to be the best option for playing the game and having it feel like the original LoZ, and there are patches for both world maps released for the game (hence Third and Fourth Quest patches). If you'd like to try out timed versions of the game for that more authentic feel, those also exist as well. I've also heard rumors that, with the discovery of videos containing the original full voice acted script, people were attempting to make a patch that combined the voices back into the game as well, though I haven't heard much about that in a loooooooooooong time and am beyond ever expecting to see that released.

Anyway, there is a lot of information about both this title and Ancient Stone Tablets floating around out there, and if you are a fan of 2D Zelda games you should DEFINITELY check this game out. Despite only existing in its incomplete form it is still an excellent Zelda title, especially if you loved the first game. It's too bad Nintendo never gave this kind of treatment to any other game in the series or revisited this title, because a lot of effort went into it, and, with a little bit of polish from technology not available to them at the time, this could have easily been the definitive version of The Legend of Zelda, not to mention an AMAZING eShop title. Of course, since that will never happen, BS The Legend of Zelda is doomed instead to remain merely . . .

:party:an awesome game you should know about:party:

BDVxSm-_iM4

[Spuuky]

This is a game many people know about, but if you haven't played it, what a deal:

http://www.gamersgate.com/DD-VALKYRIAC/valkyria-chronicles

It's $6.80 right now for a Steam key.