So The Megadrive Mini is now ready for pre-order. Which is a surprise to me as I'd thought it had already been released.
Perhaps my indifference is due to dreading seeing the same collection of games in yet another iteration of Genesis/Megadrive nostalgia. But so far, things look promising with Shining Force 1 and Castlevania Bloodlines but of course, this is only the beginning....
Showing posts with label Shining Force. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shining Force. Show all posts
Friday, April 5, 2019
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
T-20
They say that nostalgia happens in chunks of twenty years. If that is the case, then the nostalgia goggles will be aimed at the the mid-to late nineties - also known as the Fifth Console generation.
I've said it once and I'll say it again: This was a great period for the PC Gamer with them being spoiled for choice with the likes of Baldur's Gate, Doom, Warcraft, Command and Conquer, Deus Ex, Plansescape Torment and System Shock 2 among others. Sure, there was some shlock when Windows 95 rolled around but once that nonsense was sorted out, there were some real games to be found. Sure there were some interesting things happening in the console camp but they have not aged well as their PC counterparts. I remember at the time, console games of this era were being marketed as 'cutting edge' but looking at them now, they have naturally aged the worst.
This in turn presents an interesting opportunity for someone keen on nostalgia: Take a brand, fix some glaring issues with it and you'll have a certified hit. Why do you think so many have been clamoring for a remake of Final Fantasy 7? When you have a hugely successful game you have a hit guaranteed purely on brand recognition - but when you fix some of the problems the critics have pointed out, you win on both a commercial and critical level.
I myself aren't really that interested on nostalgia as, for me, it stifles progress (how can you move forward when you have eyes on the past?). But I will admit, however grudgingly, that there's something to be said for making classic games readily available, accessible without dragging some aging tech out of the deepest corner of the bedroom cupboard and in a state of preservation.
That being said, has anyone tried to resurrect some of the lost classics from the Saturn? Someone must've played the likes of Panzer Dragoon Saga and Shining Force 3 - So surely they must've been hit with inspiration strong enough to make something similar so what they enjoyed two decades ago can be enjoyed by people of the present. If anything, I'd rather play a RPG that involves traveling across on a desolate, post-apocalyptic world with minimal NPCs atop a flying, customisable beast, encountering Moebius-inspired monsters and discovering lost ancient tech than a retread of Advent Children any day....
I've said it once and I'll say it again: This was a great period for the PC Gamer with them being spoiled for choice with the likes of Baldur's Gate, Doom, Warcraft, Command and Conquer, Deus Ex, Plansescape Torment and System Shock 2 among others. Sure, there was some shlock when Windows 95 rolled around but once that nonsense was sorted out, there were some real games to be found. Sure there were some interesting things happening in the console camp but they have not aged well as their PC counterparts. I remember at the time, console games of this era were being marketed as 'cutting edge' but looking at them now, they have naturally aged the worst.
This in turn presents an interesting opportunity for someone keen on nostalgia: Take a brand, fix some glaring issues with it and you'll have a certified hit. Why do you think so many have been clamoring for a remake of Final Fantasy 7? When you have a hugely successful game you have a hit guaranteed purely on brand recognition - but when you fix some of the problems the critics have pointed out, you win on both a commercial and critical level.
I myself aren't really that interested on nostalgia as, for me, it stifles progress (how can you move forward when you have eyes on the past?). But I will admit, however grudgingly, that there's something to be said for making classic games readily available, accessible without dragging some aging tech out of the deepest corner of the bedroom cupboard and in a state of preservation.
That being said, has anyone tried to resurrect some of the lost classics from the Saturn? Someone must've played the likes of Panzer Dragoon Saga and Shining Force 3 - So surely they must've been hit with inspiration strong enough to make something similar so what they enjoyed two decades ago can be enjoyed by people of the present. If anything, I'd rather play a RPG that involves traveling across on a desolate, post-apocalyptic world with minimal NPCs atop a flying, customisable beast, encountering Moebius-inspired monsters and discovering lost ancient tech than a retread of Advent Children any day....
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
10 Best Intros of the 5th Generation
And here we are with this blog’s 600th post! Woot!
Well I did promise I’ll do a better job with my 600th post than I did with my 500th post so what do I have in store for today? Well I decided I’d do a follow up on one of my favorite posts in this blog. Remember the best intros of the fourth generation post I did? Well today we’ll be doing the best intros of the fifth generation!
To do a post like this presents a challenge and a half: My previous post lauded intros from the fourth generation largely through their ability establish mood, drama and intent largely through the limitations of the day – and having a particular attachment to that generation helped too. Not so with the fifth generation – with the increase of technology, more restrictions were broken down and the palette the game designers could work from grew bigger. But the removal of restrictions doesn’t always mean an increase in creativity. As such, I often find myself having little to no attachment to the games of fifth generation like I have to the games both before and once.
Nevertheless, a challenge has been set and it’s one worthy to rise up to. So here are my eleven best intros of the fifth generation.
11. Independence War (PC)
Let’s start this list with a game I’ve never actually played – hence it’s lowly positon on this list. It does seem unfair true but somehow I could not go past this intro.
And could I not? It may run for fifteen minutes making it easily the longest on this list but somehow it never feels like a chore to get through. Instead, a lot is established about the game and the universe it is set in. We see multiple planets. We see a conflict being set up. We see a background and history brought forth. We see political intrigue and the desperation with fighting a war. Indeed, I’ll go so far to say that this video does the whole establishing of its own universe so well that it puts a lot of modern games to shame.
Also pleasing is the look of this universe: It has a gritty look to it and some great lighting effects that really go a long way in establishing the mood of the game. This isn’t some gung-ho idealist space opera, this is a war being fought. Its more Babylon 5 than Star Trek and is all the better for it.
Actually, now that I watch this intro, maybe this game should be worth a look…
10. Lunar: Eternal Blue (Sega CD)
Okay so I’m cheating again here seeing as this game was originally released for the Sega CD but it was also released for the PS1 so it still counts!
Anywho, what I particularly like about this intro is the art direction: I ‘m impressed by the anime-esque character designs and the horrific image of a planet being bloodily destroyed by some demonic hands. But what really makes the intro for me is the place that Lucia is wandering through: We see wall carvings describing a story that is appears to be a mixture of both history and mythology. We see wars being fought, demonic beasts wracking destruction and instances of deities providing salvation.
Whilst I’m typing this from a relative newcomer (I’ve played both Silver Star and Eternal Blue but not long enough to complete them or form an idea about the game’s mythology), it is still impressive to see this ruined fortress and how it’s been abandoned by time. Also impressive is how it’s building on what appears to be clearly the game’s own mythology. Again, I haven’t the game enough but seeing this makes me feel inspired to play the game further and find out just what this mythology is. And that’s what a game’s meant to do right? Convince you to play the game it’s attached to? In this case it is a mission well and truly accomplished.
9. Metal Gear Solid (PlayStation)
If we could, for a moment, consider the landscape of gaming in a post-Sega CD world: Full Motion Video games have turned out to be a complete joke with pretentions to offering an experience akin to a movie – but instead presenting appalling acting and little to offer the ‘game’ side of things. CD storage suddenly looks significantly less appealing and the ‘movie experience’ looks best suited to staying with the movies.
That being said, Metal Gear Solid comes across as being a revelation. Finally, we have a game that actually has the look of a genuine movie (as opposed to something shot in someone’s backyard). The voice acting is superb. There are credits for both cast and staff members. And, most importantly, it still requires player participation – a balance that sounds absurd but works like a charm.
Unfortunately, with hindsight, it is sad that future Metal Gear Solid games continued going down the movie path with extended cutscenes that required little to no involvement from the player. But for one glorious moment, it all came together for the first Metal Gear Solid game.
8. Starcraft 2: Brood War (PC)
Whilst I may have shown some contempt for fifth generation graphics, I am somewhat lenient towards the PC crowd. Maybe it’s because I was using one at the time. Or maybe some of the graphics in that area hold up the best. Or maybe PC games have an ‘ageless’ quality to them largely due to the presence of the modding crowd.
But no matter: Let’s talk about this intro. Whilst I found the intro to the original Starcraft dull, this however is more compelling. It begins with the Terran marines fighting a losing battle through the Zerg and then goes onto to introduce two characters who become of key importance in the campaign ahead as well as their intent. So much of this works so well: The rain, the thunder and the mood of hopelessness that radiates throughout the intro. Also of particular note is the music that starts off with some rockin’ guitars, which had already been established as being tied to the Terran campaign in the original game, and then evolving into something operatic, as befit the UED campaign in Brood War. For any newcomer, seeing this intro makes one eager to have a shot at this campaign and find out who Alexei and Gerard are and just what they intend to do. Which is what any good intro should do.
7. Shining Force 3: scenario 1 (Saturn)
Again I’m cheating because this is another game I’ve never played. Yes I’ve played Shining Force 1 and 2 but not 3 – this is instead another game I am relying upon purely on the intro (as well as game footage on YouTube). But what an intro! This is packed to the gills with some great imagery, with the most significant being at the end where two swordsmen face off against each other in a fire-ravaged city as a giant mech approaches. The music is fantastic, certain characters are introduced and a lot is packed into this video to convey that things do indeed happen in the game attached to it. And with the presence of elves, centaurs, winged demons, magic spells, statues that come alive and steampunk this certainly ticks all the boxes for any fantasy aficionado.
Whilst I could’ve done without the inclusion of the sound effects, this is intro, like any intro, is designed to grab the player and to that end it succeeds with flying colors. Could it be enough to hunt down a Saturn, all three installments of Shining Force 3 and learning Japanese to understand all the dialogue? Some people have so one could say that this intro may have done plenty enough.
6. Tekken 2 (PlayStation)
I recall seeing this back in the day and the first thing that sprung to mind was; “I gotta get this game”.
I could end the story right there and then as it would sound very familiar and such a reaction is the exact thing an intro is made to do. The thing is, however, I wasn’t really impressed with the original Tekken (both in the arcade and the PS1 version), but seeing this intro was a key step in convincing me that the PlayStation may be worth a damn.
So what makes this intro so special? Well, compared to it’s predecessor it looks great: The graphics look pretty good, they are devoid of the ‘blocks’ that plagued fifth generation gaming graphics (they look dumb then and still do today). The character designs are superb. And the lightening effects are also a stand out - which astonished me back in the day as I didn’t think that thing would’ve been possible.
As for the intro itself, we’re introduced to the characters, both old faces and new, and we see enough to establish their character and their role in the game. It may not sound like much but this intro does it so well that I’ve seen similar intros done for other games but they come across a pale imitation. So whatever this intro does, it does it right.
(and I’ll rather have this intro than the one with Heihachi’s screaming mug any day).
5. Nights Into Dreams (Saturn)
It may be a short intro but within the space of forty-three seconds, the game’s intentions are established with ease. Bright colorful graphics? Check. A mood that is both mischievous and heroic? Check. A setting both over-worldly and grandiose? Check. Visuals that support the claims made in the title? Check. Indeed, I recall seeing this intro in the mid-nineties and I was hooked. So much so, I waited for well over a decade before I downloaded the HD remake of the game on XBLA.
Okay seriously: I’m always impressed by how this intro establishes so much within such a short space of time. Some may say it’s the limitations of the Saturn hardware but I feel this is a holdover from the previous gaming generation where developers had limits as what they could do – and subsequently had to work hard and work smart to navigate around such limits. And this intro shows signs of the developers putting in the same kind of hard effort.
And the fact that this was on the Saturn, a console now notorious for having some failures of games and a mishandled PR campaign, makes such effort worth it’s weight in gold.
4. Ghost in the Shell (Playstation)
I’ve certainly talked up Sega a lot in this post – and even I can’t deny that the fifth generation was not a good time for Sega. So, for the sake of balance, let’s talk about PlayStation.
Let’s not beat around the bush: I love me some Ghost in the Shell. I thought the original movie was great, I found Stand Alone Complex superb so it was somewhat inevitable that I would eventually track down this lost treasure.
Whilst not the sequel that many people longed for it was however a follow up to the movie and, as this intro indicates, it was true to the spirit of both the movie and the original manga. Plus you get to blow shit up as a tachikoma long before Stand Alone Complex came about (clearly the game was ahead of its time).
Without a doubt, the most striking thing about this intro is the quality of animation. One thing I recall distinctly from the mid-nineties is that with the increase in storage space offered by the CD-ROM, many game developers attempted to incorporate animation into their game, in an attempt to replicate Disney or even Don Bluth. This however felt like a game that truly walked the walk. The animation is incredible, easily on par with the movie and certainly exciting to watch. Indeed, whilst I may find the blocky graphics of many PS1 games hard to take seriously this however is a delightful surprise.
3. Soul Edge (PlayStation)
Remember what I said about how every fighting game that has an intro introducing every character is a pale imitation of the one in Tekken 2? Well Soul Edge doesn’t do anything to change that opinion but it has enough clout to stand proudly on it’s own two feet.
So what we have here is one of the most rockin’ intros ever. So where do I start? The theme music kicks arse; the singer, Suzi Kim, sings with a conviction that is entertaining; each and every character gets plenty of screen time and they appear multiple times (which is more that can be said of similar intros to other fighting games). And it is absolutely glorious from start to finish.
Also of note is that this intro holds up really well years later. Yes I’ve been critical of the lasting power of fifth generation graphics but this is one intro I can watch again and again and still find entertaining. Whilst my own experience with the Soul series is with the Soulcalibur 1 and 2 – both of which have a graphical quality that still holds up today - it’s nice to know the progenitor of the series still has something of its own to say and it still works years later.
2. Final Fantasy VII (Playstation)
All right, I admit it: This intro is nothing short of impressive. Yes I’ve been critical of Final Fantasy 7, yes I think FF6 is better, yes I’m put off by the fandom this game inspired but at the end of the day, one can’t deny this is intro is incredible.
Years later, this is still jaw-dropping to watch. It must be the zoom out of Midgar. Or it could be the graphics which still look great seventeen years later.
And with hindsight, one can see how this game made many people excited and pretty much made a lot of people forget about the NES and SNES incarnations of Final Fantasy. And considering the strength of it, one can see how such a recognizable scene was used as tech demo (but the less said about that better).
And my favorite intro of the fifth generation is…
1. Planescape Torment (PC)
In coming up with this list I had something of specific criteria: The success of an intro depended on a combination of how well it established the game in-universe, how it made me interested in a game, how it worked with the technology of the day, and how many times it made me rewatch it on YouTube (as you might imagine that last one may have been the deciding factor.
Thus, the video you see above this passage of text is the intro I felt fulfilled all these criteria.
Within this video a lot is established about the game and its universe. We are introduced to both the Nameless One and Deionarra. We also see locations that later prove to be of importance –and, as players of this game would know, it pays to pay attention. We see key themes within the game being raised with the image of the Torment insignia and the army of zombies with fingers raised in accusation.
However, what I find most interesting about this video is what is known with hindsight because (SPOILERS) as anyone who’s beaten the game would know, it is never actually revealed what the first incarnation did that inspired him to seek atonement through immortality. Thus this video is pretty much the only clues we get. We see a woman (who clearly doesn’t share Deionarra’s appearance), a guy drowning, battles being fought and a glimpse of the Nameless One as a human. What does it all mean? We’ll never know and that, in turn, is a tantalizing detail that adds to this video’s mystique.
This intro adds so much to the game. Even after I’ve beaten the game, I’m still finding things if interest in the intro and seeing how it connects with the rest of this game – which is more than many other games can claim. It’s a unique intro and here at Game Tumour we celebrate the unique. So it gets the gold star from me.
So that’s it for the 600th post! Thank you for taking the time reading it and here’s to the next 100 posts!
Well I did promise I’ll do a better job with my 600th post than I did with my 500th post so what do I have in store for today? Well I decided I’d do a follow up on one of my favorite posts in this blog. Remember the best intros of the fourth generation post I did? Well today we’ll be doing the best intros of the fifth generation!
To do a post like this presents a challenge and a half: My previous post lauded intros from the fourth generation largely through their ability establish mood, drama and intent largely through the limitations of the day – and having a particular attachment to that generation helped too. Not so with the fifth generation – with the increase of technology, more restrictions were broken down and the palette the game designers could work from grew bigger. But the removal of restrictions doesn’t always mean an increase in creativity. As such, I often find myself having little to no attachment to the games of fifth generation like I have to the games both before and once.
Nevertheless, a challenge has been set and it’s one worthy to rise up to. So here are my eleven best intros of the fifth generation.
11. Independence War (PC)
Let’s start this list with a game I’ve never actually played – hence it’s lowly positon on this list. It does seem unfair true but somehow I could not go past this intro.
And could I not? It may run for fifteen minutes making it easily the longest on this list but somehow it never feels like a chore to get through. Instead, a lot is established about the game and the universe it is set in. We see multiple planets. We see a conflict being set up. We see a background and history brought forth. We see political intrigue and the desperation with fighting a war. Indeed, I’ll go so far to say that this video does the whole establishing of its own universe so well that it puts a lot of modern games to shame.
Also pleasing is the look of this universe: It has a gritty look to it and some great lighting effects that really go a long way in establishing the mood of the game. This isn’t some gung-ho idealist space opera, this is a war being fought. Its more Babylon 5 than Star Trek and is all the better for it.
Actually, now that I watch this intro, maybe this game should be worth a look…
10. Lunar: Eternal Blue (Sega CD)
Okay so I’m cheating again here seeing as this game was originally released for the Sega CD but it was also released for the PS1 so it still counts!
Anywho, what I particularly like about this intro is the art direction: I ‘m impressed by the anime-esque character designs and the horrific image of a planet being bloodily destroyed by some demonic hands. But what really makes the intro for me is the place that Lucia is wandering through: We see wall carvings describing a story that is appears to be a mixture of both history and mythology. We see wars being fought, demonic beasts wracking destruction and instances of deities providing salvation.
Whilst I’m typing this from a relative newcomer (I’ve played both Silver Star and Eternal Blue but not long enough to complete them or form an idea about the game’s mythology), it is still impressive to see this ruined fortress and how it’s been abandoned by time. Also impressive is how it’s building on what appears to be clearly the game’s own mythology. Again, I haven’t the game enough but seeing this makes me feel inspired to play the game further and find out just what this mythology is. And that’s what a game’s meant to do right? Convince you to play the game it’s attached to? In this case it is a mission well and truly accomplished.
9. Metal Gear Solid (PlayStation)
If we could, for a moment, consider the landscape of gaming in a post-Sega CD world: Full Motion Video games have turned out to be a complete joke with pretentions to offering an experience akin to a movie – but instead presenting appalling acting and little to offer the ‘game’ side of things. CD storage suddenly looks significantly less appealing and the ‘movie experience’ looks best suited to staying with the movies.
That being said, Metal Gear Solid comes across as being a revelation. Finally, we have a game that actually has the look of a genuine movie (as opposed to something shot in someone’s backyard). The voice acting is superb. There are credits for both cast and staff members. And, most importantly, it still requires player participation – a balance that sounds absurd but works like a charm.
Unfortunately, with hindsight, it is sad that future Metal Gear Solid games continued going down the movie path with extended cutscenes that required little to no involvement from the player. But for one glorious moment, it all came together for the first Metal Gear Solid game.
8. Starcraft 2: Brood War (PC)
Whilst I may have shown some contempt for fifth generation graphics, I am somewhat lenient towards the PC crowd. Maybe it’s because I was using one at the time. Or maybe some of the graphics in that area hold up the best. Or maybe PC games have an ‘ageless’ quality to them largely due to the presence of the modding crowd.
But no matter: Let’s talk about this intro. Whilst I found the intro to the original Starcraft dull, this however is more compelling. It begins with the Terran marines fighting a losing battle through the Zerg and then goes onto to introduce two characters who become of key importance in the campaign ahead as well as their intent. So much of this works so well: The rain, the thunder and the mood of hopelessness that radiates throughout the intro. Also of particular note is the music that starts off with some rockin’ guitars, which had already been established as being tied to the Terran campaign in the original game, and then evolving into something operatic, as befit the UED campaign in Brood War. For any newcomer, seeing this intro makes one eager to have a shot at this campaign and find out who Alexei and Gerard are and just what they intend to do. Which is what any good intro should do.
7. Shining Force 3: scenario 1 (Saturn)
Again I’m cheating because this is another game I’ve never played. Yes I’ve played Shining Force 1 and 2 but not 3 – this is instead another game I am relying upon purely on the intro (as well as game footage on YouTube). But what an intro! This is packed to the gills with some great imagery, with the most significant being at the end where two swordsmen face off against each other in a fire-ravaged city as a giant mech approaches. The music is fantastic, certain characters are introduced and a lot is packed into this video to convey that things do indeed happen in the game attached to it. And with the presence of elves, centaurs, winged demons, magic spells, statues that come alive and steampunk this certainly ticks all the boxes for any fantasy aficionado.
Whilst I could’ve done without the inclusion of the sound effects, this is intro, like any intro, is designed to grab the player and to that end it succeeds with flying colors. Could it be enough to hunt down a Saturn, all three installments of Shining Force 3 and learning Japanese to understand all the dialogue? Some people have so one could say that this intro may have done plenty enough.
6. Tekken 2 (PlayStation)
I recall seeing this back in the day and the first thing that sprung to mind was; “I gotta get this game”.
I could end the story right there and then as it would sound very familiar and such a reaction is the exact thing an intro is made to do. The thing is, however, I wasn’t really impressed with the original Tekken (both in the arcade and the PS1 version), but seeing this intro was a key step in convincing me that the PlayStation may be worth a damn.
So what makes this intro so special? Well, compared to it’s predecessor it looks great: The graphics look pretty good, they are devoid of the ‘blocks’ that plagued fifth generation gaming graphics (they look dumb then and still do today). The character designs are superb. And the lightening effects are also a stand out - which astonished me back in the day as I didn’t think that thing would’ve been possible.
As for the intro itself, we’re introduced to the characters, both old faces and new, and we see enough to establish their character and their role in the game. It may not sound like much but this intro does it so well that I’ve seen similar intros done for other games but they come across a pale imitation. So whatever this intro does, it does it right.
(and I’ll rather have this intro than the one with Heihachi’s screaming mug any day).
5. Nights Into Dreams (Saturn)
It may be a short intro but within the space of forty-three seconds, the game’s intentions are established with ease. Bright colorful graphics? Check. A mood that is both mischievous and heroic? Check. A setting both over-worldly and grandiose? Check. Visuals that support the claims made in the title? Check. Indeed, I recall seeing this intro in the mid-nineties and I was hooked. So much so, I waited for well over a decade before I downloaded the HD remake of the game on XBLA.
Okay seriously: I’m always impressed by how this intro establishes so much within such a short space of time. Some may say it’s the limitations of the Saturn hardware but I feel this is a holdover from the previous gaming generation where developers had limits as what they could do – and subsequently had to work hard and work smart to navigate around such limits. And this intro shows signs of the developers putting in the same kind of hard effort.
And the fact that this was on the Saturn, a console now notorious for having some failures of games and a mishandled PR campaign, makes such effort worth it’s weight in gold.
4. Ghost in the Shell (Playstation)
I’ve certainly talked up Sega a lot in this post – and even I can’t deny that the fifth generation was not a good time for Sega. So, for the sake of balance, let’s talk about PlayStation.
Let’s not beat around the bush: I love me some Ghost in the Shell. I thought the original movie was great, I found Stand Alone Complex superb so it was somewhat inevitable that I would eventually track down this lost treasure.
Whilst not the sequel that many people longed for it was however a follow up to the movie and, as this intro indicates, it was true to the spirit of both the movie and the original manga. Plus you get to blow shit up as a tachikoma long before Stand Alone Complex came about (clearly the game was ahead of its time).
Without a doubt, the most striking thing about this intro is the quality of animation. One thing I recall distinctly from the mid-nineties is that with the increase in storage space offered by the CD-ROM, many game developers attempted to incorporate animation into their game, in an attempt to replicate Disney or even Don Bluth. This however felt like a game that truly walked the walk. The animation is incredible, easily on par with the movie and certainly exciting to watch. Indeed, whilst I may find the blocky graphics of many PS1 games hard to take seriously this however is a delightful surprise.
3. Soul Edge (PlayStation)
Remember what I said about how every fighting game that has an intro introducing every character is a pale imitation of the one in Tekken 2? Well Soul Edge doesn’t do anything to change that opinion but it has enough clout to stand proudly on it’s own two feet.
So what we have here is one of the most rockin’ intros ever. So where do I start? The theme music kicks arse; the singer, Suzi Kim, sings with a conviction that is entertaining; each and every character gets plenty of screen time and they appear multiple times (which is more that can be said of similar intros to other fighting games). And it is absolutely glorious from start to finish.
Also of note is that this intro holds up really well years later. Yes I’ve been critical of the lasting power of fifth generation graphics but this is one intro I can watch again and again and still find entertaining. Whilst my own experience with the Soul series is with the Soulcalibur 1 and 2 – both of which have a graphical quality that still holds up today - it’s nice to know the progenitor of the series still has something of its own to say and it still works years later.
2. Final Fantasy VII (Playstation)
All right, I admit it: This intro is nothing short of impressive. Yes I’ve been critical of Final Fantasy 7, yes I think FF6 is better, yes I’m put off by the fandom this game inspired but at the end of the day, one can’t deny this is intro is incredible.
Years later, this is still jaw-dropping to watch. It must be the zoom out of Midgar. Or it could be the graphics which still look great seventeen years later.
And with hindsight, one can see how this game made many people excited and pretty much made a lot of people forget about the NES and SNES incarnations of Final Fantasy. And considering the strength of it, one can see how such a recognizable scene was used as tech demo (but the less said about that better).
And my favorite intro of the fifth generation is…
1. Planescape Torment (PC)
In coming up with this list I had something of specific criteria: The success of an intro depended on a combination of how well it established the game in-universe, how it made me interested in a game, how it worked with the technology of the day, and how many times it made me rewatch it on YouTube (as you might imagine that last one may have been the deciding factor.
Thus, the video you see above this passage of text is the intro I felt fulfilled all these criteria.
Within this video a lot is established about the game and its universe. We are introduced to both the Nameless One and Deionarra. We also see locations that later prove to be of importance –and, as players of this game would know, it pays to pay attention. We see key themes within the game being raised with the image of the Torment insignia and the army of zombies with fingers raised in accusation.
However, what I find most interesting about this video is what is known with hindsight because (SPOILERS) as anyone who’s beaten the game would know, it is never actually revealed what the first incarnation did that inspired him to seek atonement through immortality. Thus this video is pretty much the only clues we get. We see a woman (who clearly doesn’t share Deionarra’s appearance), a guy drowning, battles being fought and a glimpse of the Nameless One as a human. What does it all mean? We’ll never know and that, in turn, is a tantalizing detail that adds to this video’s mystique.
This intro adds so much to the game. Even after I’ve beaten the game, I’m still finding things if interest in the intro and seeing how it connects with the rest of this game – which is more than many other games can claim. It’s a unique intro and here at Game Tumour we celebrate the unique. So it gets the gold star from me.
So that’s it for the 600th post! Thank you for taking the time reading it and here’s to the next 100 posts!
Monday, June 30, 2014
To be this good takes Ages
Following on from an earlier post, today I downloaded Radiant Silvergun and had a bash at it. I didn’t last long, which is unsurprising for an arcade shooter, but I was impressed with the number of shooting abilities on offer. Needless to say, this warrants further investigation.
What is of particular note is that with the purchase of Radiant Silvergun, the number of Sega games (as in either made by Sega or originated on a Sega console) on my XBLA account now reaches eight. It joins the likes of Sonic Adventure, Sonic CD, Ikagura, Soul Calibur, Daytona USA, Nights into Dreams and Guardian Heroes. Now whilst it may not sound like much it still represents a third of the games I have downloaded from XBLA.
I suppose having a particular empathy for the Sega games is a holdover from my days as a Sega fanboy. I guess once you’re a fanboy you’re one for life and you can never truly escape such a fate. However other reasons behind such an empathy exist in the form of:
But what are the odds of the happening, amIrite?
What is of particular note is that with the purchase of Radiant Silvergun, the number of Sega games (as in either made by Sega or originated on a Sega console) on my XBLA account now reaches eight. It joins the likes of Sonic Adventure, Sonic CD, Ikagura, Soul Calibur, Daytona USA, Nights into Dreams and Guardian Heroes. Now whilst it may not sound like much it still represents a third of the games I have downloaded from XBLA.
I suppose having a particular empathy for the Sega games is a holdover from my days as a Sega fanboy. I guess once you’re a fanboy you’re one for life and you can never truly escape such a fate. However other reasons behind such an empathy exist in the form of:
- Perhaps playing Sega games on the Xbox it is a firm indication of Microsoft's replacing of Sega in the Console race
- Or maybe it is more of a case of finally playing games that I have previously only been able to admire from afar.
But what are the odds of the happening, amIrite?
Monday, October 22, 2012
Keep Dreamin'
I've said it once and I'll say it again: Sega are really doing themselves by not making their back catalogue of non-Megadrive/Genesis games readily available. Sure there have been a few games on the Master System/Saturn/Dreamcast slipping through the cracks on PSN and XBLA but what about the rest? Whilst Sega may have had more than few failed consoles to their name, I can still think of some games in Sega's back catalogue that could benefit from a second look.
I could see some reluctance on Sega's part namely a) the difficulty of obtaining rights of certain games with certain gaming studios scattering elsewhere b) an unwillingness to release something that has no guarantee of decent sales and c) the idea that maybe Sega's failed consoles is something they would like to forget. Reasonable claims I will admit but I've heard of such games being spoken of in near mythical terms and needless to say my curiosity is piqued.
I can think of several games on the Mega CD that may be worth dusting off and preserving for gamers both now and in the future, namely Eternal Champions, Lunar, Popful Mail, Robo Aleste, Shining Force CD, Silpheed, Snatcher and Vay (and who says it was all Sonic CD?)
And on the Saturn front, I would certainly like to play the likes of DragonForce, Astal, Shining the Holy Ark and Panzer Dragoon Zwei. I know of games that may benefit from a proper translation like Assault Suit Leynos 2, Shining Force 3, Magical Knight Rayearth and Grandia. And need I mention how many people want to see a proper rerelease of the Holy Grail of gaming Panzer Dragoon Saga?
Of course I've gathered this laundry list of titles through research - I've heard all of these titles spoken highly of both Sega fans and (general) gamers alike so it makes me interested in checking them out. One problem though: How do I do it? This in turn goes back to Sega not taking action to preserve their gaming catalogue and make it readily available. Listen to me Sega: Would you rather people get to these games through using emulators and denying you of some actual money?
The recent arrival of Nights Into Dreams to the XBLA provides new, solid evidence to suggest otherwise that Saturn games may be difficult to emulate or even revamped to stunning effect. Sure Nights was also ported to the PS2 but the presence of other Saturn games on XBLA, Guardian Heroes, Radiant Silvergun, could be another reason for, right?
But alas if the spectacular revamp of Nights will prove anything, it will be proof fifth generation gaming can be rebuilt in such a manner. And thus yielding another excuse for those wanting a new Final Fantasy 7 to persue their tireless crusade (fingers in the ear and all). Okay but how about we ask for something we HAVEN'T played?
I could see some reluctance on Sega's part namely a) the difficulty of obtaining rights of certain games with certain gaming studios scattering elsewhere b) an unwillingness to release something that has no guarantee of decent sales and c) the idea that maybe Sega's failed consoles is something they would like to forget. Reasonable claims I will admit but I've heard of such games being spoken of in near mythical terms and needless to say my curiosity is piqued.
I can think of several games on the Mega CD that may be worth dusting off and preserving for gamers both now and in the future, namely Eternal Champions, Lunar, Popful Mail, Robo Aleste, Shining Force CD, Silpheed, Snatcher and Vay (and who says it was all Sonic CD?)
And on the Saturn front, I would certainly like to play the likes of DragonForce, Astal, Shining the Holy Ark and Panzer Dragoon Zwei. I know of games that may benefit from a proper translation like Assault Suit Leynos 2, Shining Force 3, Magical Knight Rayearth and Grandia. And need I mention how many people want to see a proper rerelease of the Holy Grail of gaming Panzer Dragoon Saga?
Of course I've gathered this laundry list of titles through research - I've heard all of these titles spoken highly of both Sega fans and (general) gamers alike so it makes me interested in checking them out. One problem though: How do I do it? This in turn goes back to Sega not taking action to preserve their gaming catalogue and make it readily available. Listen to me Sega: Would you rather people get to these games through using emulators and denying you of some actual money?
The recent arrival of Nights Into Dreams to the XBLA provides new, solid evidence to suggest otherwise that Saturn games may be difficult to emulate or even revamped to stunning effect. Sure Nights was also ported to the PS2 but the presence of other Saturn games on XBLA, Guardian Heroes, Radiant Silvergun, could be another reason for, right?
But alas if the spectacular revamp of Nights will prove anything, it will be proof fifth generation gaming can be rebuilt in such a manner. And thus yielding another excuse for those wanting a new Final Fantasy 7 to persue their tireless crusade (fingers in the ear and all). Okay but how about we ask for something we HAVEN'T played?
Friday, July 13, 2012
Nightfall
Some exciting news: The Sega Saturn classic Nights into Dreams is coming to PSN and XBLA as a HD revamp:
Well this is good news: I've played a bit of Nights in the past and have enjoyed so having it in HD is welcome in my book.
But personally this is indeed a welcome move on Sega's part: I've said before they were doing themselves a disservice through not having Saturn games readily available on a downloadable service. Sure not everything on the Saturn was crash hot but there were a few diamonds in the rough that indeed worthy of preservation for generations of gamers to come.
I just hope that Nights may be the spark that inspires Sega to revamp more Saturn titles *coughShinginForce3coughPanzerDragoonSagacough*
Well this is good news: I've played a bit of Nights in the past and have enjoyed so having it in HD is welcome in my book.
But personally this is indeed a welcome move on Sega's part: I've said before they were doing themselves a disservice through not having Saturn games readily available on a downloadable service. Sure not everything on the Saturn was crash hot but there were a few diamonds in the rough that indeed worthy of preservation for generations of gamers to come.
I just hope that Nights may be the spark that inspires Sega to revamp more Saturn titles *coughShinginForce3coughPanzerDragoonSagacough*
Friday, April 13, 2012
Shine On
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: Sega is really doing
itself a disservice through not re-releasing some of the Saturn games. We can get
Playstation1 games off the PSN and N64 games off the Virtual Console so why not
the Saturn games? I hear stuff like the Saturn’s complex circuitry makes for a difficult
emulation and the difficulty of obtaining rights to certain games as many developers
who worked for Saturn have scattered into different avenues but I don’t know:
All I know is that within the Saturn library there were more than a few diamonds
in the rough and it would be a travesty to have them claimed by the march of
time and not preserved for future generations. What’s so wrong about making Saturn
games readily available? Surely doing so may recoup some financial losses for
Sega? Indeed, I like to imagine that Nintendo/Square being initially reluctant to
finally release Chrono Trigger for Australian gamers via the Virtual Console –
only to be surprised when it turned out to be a big seller.
But I digress. Whilst there are a number of Saturn games I
myself would like to play, there are two in particular: Panzer Dragoon Saga (which
now looks set to forever be the Holy Grail of gaming) and Shining Force 3. I’ve
played, and enjoyed, the Shining Force games on the Megadrive so I really want to play SF3. I've seen footage on youtube and I've seen how it works in 3d, the improved mechanics and the new features added to the formula. Plus the opening cinematic shows a lot of promise and indeed makes me even more keen to play it:
But what intrigues me the most about Shining Force 3 is it's sense of ambition. For those not in the know, Shining Force 3 was split into three separate scenarios that were available separately. Getting all three of them will ultimately tell a story all the way through. Scenario 1 introduced a guy named Synbios as he leads an army into a war as his home, the nation of Aspinia, is threatened by the neighboring nation of Destonia. Scenario 2 then introduces a second army, lead by a guy named Medion and tells the conflict through the eyes of the Destonians. And in the third scenario, another army is introduced, led by a guy named Julian, and eventually accumulates with all three armies recognizing the real threat and joining forces to stop it. It was an ambitious game and, in a way, years ahead of it's time: Throughout certain points in the scenarios, the player had to make decisions that could effect outcomes in the future.
So yes I would really like to play Shining Force 3 - I like the series, I like RPGs and Strategy games so a combination of the two sounds sweet as and the ambitious nature of the game is certainly worth a look. But with no interest from Sega to resurrect their Saturn games (despite strong interest from the fans) it looks set to remain lost to the ravages of time. Which is shame because, from a narrative perspective, I personalty feel that the idea of playing through three separate casts of characters only to have them converge is an idea that has potential. But does anyone think so?
Apparently so.
You see in recent weeks, I've heard that Bioware is busy with working on Dragon Age 3. In this early stage they have stated that this is a new story featuring a completely new player character. But whilst Hawke and the Warden from Origins may not be playable characters there does exists the possibility that they may turn up.
It may be a bit of a stretch but hearing this news reminded me of the the three separate scenarios of Shining Force 3 and how putting them all together told a story of three forces fighting many battles before uniting together. I mean who wouldn't want to make decisions one game that will effect another party in the next game? Who wouldn't want to see familiar faces appear across a number of games in different roles? Who wouldn't want to see party characters from three games interact with each other? (Aveline clashing with Morrigan? Hell yes).
So I guess whilst the Saturn games may never be dusted off and reissued to the public, that's not to say that the ideas behind them can be dusted off and given a new coat of paint.
It may not be much but it'll do.
Friday, November 18, 2011
31 Songs (no.3)
And welcome to part 3 of this ongoing series of video game music. Today, we head into the fifth generation. Now things are a little different than before: In previous posts, I made mention that I grew up with the games of the previous generations. But during the fifth generation of consoles, my interest in gaming was being directed away and I missed out on a lot - much of which was eventually rediscovered years later. Thus, this post is going to be based on looking through a past generation through a perspective both new and adult.
Will it make a difference? Let's find out...
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - Dracula's Castle
Well when you call your game a Symphony it’s kind of expected that the music be top-notch right? Well not only does Symphony of the Night achieve this goal but it surpasses it many times over.
Symphony of the Night is often considered one of the finest soundtracks ever made in the history of gaming and rightly so. Whilst many other soundtracks may age with time and technological advancements, Symphony of the Night is in a class of its own. It has a timeless quality that can proudly hold up some fourteen years later. And it certainly has a lot of variety and colour throughout, touching many styles and succeeding: Choral voices, classical pieces, rock guitars and even a dancey number – it may sound cluttered but somehow it works and even maintains the gothic horror mood that made the Castlevania series famous. In fact, I could say this is one of the few soundtracks that could actually work without the game: on it’s own it sounds dark, sinister and strangely beautiful. Much like Symphony of the Night itself.
Thus I, once again, am spoiled for choice when it comes to selecting one piece for the purposes of this list. Requiem for the Gods, Abandoned Pit, Lost Paintings and Heavenly Doorway are all beauties but I’ve decided to go with Dracula’s Castle. It is the first theme heard when the player enters the castle as Alucard and pretty much sets up the mood for what’s to follow. It’s nightmarishly scary but at the same time, wonderful.
You know, I recall playing Symphony of the Night at a friend's place and someone heard Lost Paintings and said: “That’s nice music”. And this was without looking at the TV screen. Sometimes moments like that can count for so much.
Chrono Cross - Unsealed Jewel
It seems that each time I do a post to this series I must, at some point, break my own guidelines. Yes this game wasn’t released in Australia, yes I never played it, and yes I’m basing this theme purely on what I’ve heard but damn is this a sweet theme.
For me, I have no idea what this song is implying: I don’t know what the singer is singing, I don’t know what context this is being used in the game (okay I do: it’s the ending cinematic) and I have no idea what the point, if any, is trying to be conveyed. But you know what? I don’t care. This is such a simple song and it works well. I love the singing, the guitar playing and the peaceful mood this song manages to project. And that’s the beauty of it: It doesn’t need the game to work for me. I can listen to this and still enjoy it without playing the game. And for a game theme to do that is indeed a substantial accomplishment – and an accomplishment that happens much rarely than one would realise.
In fact, as I found out, it’s quite nice to listen to when you go outside in the morning and watch the sun rise. It’s also nice to listen to when you wake up in the morning nursing a large hangover.
Command and Conquer - Act on Instinct
I must say I’ve always had a soft spot for the work of Command and Conquer composer Frank Klepacki. It's a great combination with the metal guitars and industrial beats – even to the point that when I play the previous Command and Conquer games now I’m still impressed that the music like this was still being made in the mind-nineties. It was as if someone decided that music in computer games was going to get serious and, years later, it would seem they were successful.
So what can I say about Act on Instinct? Well not a lot really: There’s a lot going on in this song with the bass, the pounding drums and the sound effects. But honestly what makes this theme for me is that four note keyboard part that appears halfway through the piece. It’s the dealmaker for me, even to the point that I rewind those parts of the song just here it again. Although I’m not entirely sure why I like to so much – but then again, there is the fear that if I try to explain it may not work in the same light ever again.
So yes, Act on Instinct is a rockin’ theme. And this must rank as one of the few game themes that can actually work outside the game: As I found out, this is actually a really good theme to listen to in the car.
Command and Conquer: Red Alert - Hell March
Die Waffen legt an!
Well it was hard to choose one piece from the repertoire of Frank Klepacki so I went with his other best known theme. And could I not? This is a theme with plenty of bite and perfect for charging into battle with guns blazing. Or behind the wheel of a tank.
This is pretty much a battle theme – even to the point of being shameless in its intent. It’s loud, powerful and pretty much just the thing to get one’s blood pumping. It may have been intended for a strategy game but it could work equally well for a shooter. Or a death match LAN. Open fire? Hell yes.
Everything here seems to work: The rumbling bass demands attention before the drums kick in and the guitars come charging in. And it must’ve succeeded so well because it’s been remixed for the Red Alert sequels
Now I’m not a big fan of metal music – I do enjoy it yes but I’m nowhere near the hyper serious fans that flock to it’s banner – But I have to say this works for me far more than a lot of metal bands I’ve heard. And all for a computer game no less! And if such a theme can cross such barriers then you know you’ve done something right.
Deus Ex - Opening Theme
Yes it’s another no-brainer but its inclusion is there for a reason. For one of the main goals for any opening theme is to pretty much establish the mood and establish a line of thinking that the player must abide to. And this theme is shining example of that principle. I hear this now and I immediately think cyberpunk, X-Files-esque conspiracies and saving the world from catastrophe – pretty much what Deus Ex is all about. I can picture all of this is achieved even without a single image being shown. In fact I bet you could play this to anyone without a prior knowledge of Deus Ex and they'll pick it up straight away. And if your opening theme can do that then you're onto a winner indeed.
I also like the orchestral arrangements and the pounding drums throughout. And let us not forget: At the end of the day is a pretty damn good tune.
Not much more I can say except, I must confess that nowadays I, unfortunately, can’t hear this song without thinking: “Put on a trenchcoat, and fight some conspiracies, Get experience and level up abilities…”
Final Fantasy 9 - Crossing The Hills
You know what? Of all the Final Fantasy games I’ve played, I would have to say that no.9 has the strongest soundtrack of all. And I’m not the only one: Nobuo Uematsu himself has even ranked no.9 as his favourite. So who am I to argue?
And once again I face the difficult process of selecting one track on a soundtrack that’s packed to the gills with gems. I love The Place I’ll Return to Someday. I love Awakened Forest. I love Freya’s theme. I love Burmecian Kingdom. I love You Are Not Alone!. Much like Secret of Mana, in the previous post, if I could the entire soundtrack on this list I damn well would’ve. But no, I’ve broken enough of my own self-imposed rules already so we must go with one. And the lucky winner is Crossing the Hills.
One thing I like about this, and this may sound kind of bizarre, is whilst this used as a world/journeying theme, it doesn’t sound anything like an atypical journeying theme. I wouldn’t associate this with exploring a world – I would think it more a theme to a storybook being read than a game.
And that’s what’s kinda cool about it. I mentioned in my best endings post that Final Fantasy IX does come across as taking the storybook approach – perhaps more so than it’s brethren – and this theme really is representative of that intent.
But this is just me rambling. Simply put: I like this song, I think it’s great so just listen to it and draw your own conclusions.
Metal Gear Solid - The Best is Yet to Come
Well seeing have I’ve spoken at length of the emotional impression Metal Gear Solid’s ending had on me having The Best is Yet to Come on this list shouldn’t come to a surprise to the regular viewer of this blog. But who am I kidding? It’s a great song and one of those rare songs that still sound great no matter how many times one hears it.
Mind you, Celtic folk isn’t something you’d hear in any video game at all, let alone a military drama but here it works. And as the title suggests, the Best is Yet to Come: Snake completed his mission and ultimately found himself and a new purpose in life and hearing this haunting tune only adds to that truth. The fact that it is accompanied by the footage of the Alaskan wildlife, where life truly does go on, only adds more to it.
But again, this is one theme that exists freely beyond the confines of its original purpose. I can hear this when I’m feeling low and it helps. For tomorrow is another day. The problems that came before are meaningless. Things can get better and every moment in this life counts. It may sound cheesy but to find a theme that can work without it’s accompanying game is a rare thing. But to find such a life-affirming theme in a video game is certainly an achievement in itself. Who would’ve guessed that video game music could do such a thing?!
Shining Force 3 - Scenario 1 opening theme
I’ve played the Shining Force games that came out on the Megadrive and I enjoyed them very much. But I have issue with the music: It sounds ghastly and has aged rather horribly. So much so I can barely listen to instead preferring to mute it and put on some Dragon Force.
Thus hearing this, the opening to Shining Force 3 (scenario 1) on the Saturn, comes largely as a shock: Instead of some Megadrive ditty, we get a full orchestral piece accompanied by the rapping of military drums. It sounds epic, heroic and more representative of the game, a strategy RPG, as a whole. The fact that this is playing during the opening cinematic – which features the unforgettable image of two warriors facing off against each other in a crumbling fire-ravaged city as a giant mech approaches – is the icing on the cake.
Indeed, listening to this theme now to me sounds like the composers finally had an opportunity to work beyond the technological restrictions previously presented to them and are relishing it for all it’s worth. As such whereas the previous Shining Force games have had soundtracks consisting of rather chirpy sounding little ditties, this, along with the rest of the soundtrack, sounds much more serious and indeed more befitting of an army fighting its way through countless battles. Indeed one feels that this is the soundtrack that the Shining Force games deserved all along.
Not much else to say but there have been many heroic themes throughout fantasy games but none of them can match this: More than anything that came before it, or even after it, this is the sound of an army marching to war.
Starcraft - Terran Theme 1
It’s the Korean National Anthem!
Okay seriously, much like the Command and Conquer themes, this is pretty much a battle theme, designed to get the blood pumping and create the mood of building an army, storming across the battlefield and annihilating anything stupid enough to get in your way. Whilst the first part, the orchestral arrangements that came with the UED campaign in Brood War, is impressive by it’s self, the real meat comes in the rock part. I love the moody bass and the guitar work but the real treat comes in the keyboard work (Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-Bah, Bah, Bah bahhhh!!!). In any case, this theme works as being many parts being put together to produce a compelling whole.
Of course the rest of the soundtrack to Starcraft is pretty cool in itself. But what I find particularly interesting is that this theme, and indeed the rest of the Terran music, is more akin to conventional music from a strategy game. Thus the themes to the Protoss and the Zerg are less about convention and more building a mood to go with the race in question. Thus the Zerg get themes with industrial electronics, squealing guitars and a sense of being evolved to destroy. And the Protoss get orchestral themes, a sombre mood and the sense that a once glorious civilisation is pretty much on it’s knees. It’s an unusual move for a strategy game but in my mind, makes it all the better for it.
So that's it for the fifth generation. Already, game music was evolving at an impressive rate and delivering some unforgettable tunes. So what can the sixth generation do? Tune in next week to find out...
Will it make a difference? Let's find out...
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - Dracula's Castle
Well when you call your game a Symphony it’s kind of expected that the music be top-notch right? Well not only does Symphony of the Night achieve this goal but it surpasses it many times over.
Symphony of the Night is often considered one of the finest soundtracks ever made in the history of gaming and rightly so. Whilst many other soundtracks may age with time and technological advancements, Symphony of the Night is in a class of its own. It has a timeless quality that can proudly hold up some fourteen years later. And it certainly has a lot of variety and colour throughout, touching many styles and succeeding: Choral voices, classical pieces, rock guitars and even a dancey number – it may sound cluttered but somehow it works and even maintains the gothic horror mood that made the Castlevania series famous. In fact, I could say this is one of the few soundtracks that could actually work without the game: on it’s own it sounds dark, sinister and strangely beautiful. Much like Symphony of the Night itself.
Thus I, once again, am spoiled for choice when it comes to selecting one piece for the purposes of this list. Requiem for the Gods, Abandoned Pit, Lost Paintings and Heavenly Doorway are all beauties but I’ve decided to go with Dracula’s Castle. It is the first theme heard when the player enters the castle as Alucard and pretty much sets up the mood for what’s to follow. It’s nightmarishly scary but at the same time, wonderful.
You know, I recall playing Symphony of the Night at a friend's place and someone heard Lost Paintings and said: “That’s nice music”. And this was without looking at the TV screen. Sometimes moments like that can count for so much.
Chrono Cross - Unsealed Jewel
It seems that each time I do a post to this series I must, at some point, break my own guidelines. Yes this game wasn’t released in Australia, yes I never played it, and yes I’m basing this theme purely on what I’ve heard but damn is this a sweet theme.
For me, I have no idea what this song is implying: I don’t know what the singer is singing, I don’t know what context this is being used in the game (okay I do: it’s the ending cinematic) and I have no idea what the point, if any, is trying to be conveyed. But you know what? I don’t care. This is such a simple song and it works well. I love the singing, the guitar playing and the peaceful mood this song manages to project. And that’s the beauty of it: It doesn’t need the game to work for me. I can listen to this and still enjoy it without playing the game. And for a game theme to do that is indeed a substantial accomplishment – and an accomplishment that happens much rarely than one would realise.
In fact, as I found out, it’s quite nice to listen to when you go outside in the morning and watch the sun rise. It’s also nice to listen to when you wake up in the morning nursing a large hangover.
Command and Conquer - Act on Instinct
I must say I’ve always had a soft spot for the work of Command and Conquer composer Frank Klepacki. It's a great combination with the metal guitars and industrial beats – even to the point that when I play the previous Command and Conquer games now I’m still impressed that the music like this was still being made in the mind-nineties. It was as if someone decided that music in computer games was going to get serious and, years later, it would seem they were successful.
So what can I say about Act on Instinct? Well not a lot really: There’s a lot going on in this song with the bass, the pounding drums and the sound effects. But honestly what makes this theme for me is that four note keyboard part that appears halfway through the piece. It’s the dealmaker for me, even to the point that I rewind those parts of the song just here it again. Although I’m not entirely sure why I like to so much – but then again, there is the fear that if I try to explain it may not work in the same light ever again.
So yes, Act on Instinct is a rockin’ theme. And this must rank as one of the few game themes that can actually work outside the game: As I found out, this is actually a really good theme to listen to in the car.
Command and Conquer: Red Alert - Hell March
Die Waffen legt an!
Well it was hard to choose one piece from the repertoire of Frank Klepacki so I went with his other best known theme. And could I not? This is a theme with plenty of bite and perfect for charging into battle with guns blazing. Or behind the wheel of a tank.
This is pretty much a battle theme – even to the point of being shameless in its intent. It’s loud, powerful and pretty much just the thing to get one’s blood pumping. It may have been intended for a strategy game but it could work equally well for a shooter. Or a death match LAN. Open fire? Hell yes.
Everything here seems to work: The rumbling bass demands attention before the drums kick in and the guitars come charging in. And it must’ve succeeded so well because it’s been remixed for the Red Alert sequels
Now I’m not a big fan of metal music – I do enjoy it yes but I’m nowhere near the hyper serious fans that flock to it’s banner – But I have to say this works for me far more than a lot of metal bands I’ve heard. And all for a computer game no less! And if such a theme can cross such barriers then you know you’ve done something right.
Deus Ex - Opening Theme
Yes it’s another no-brainer but its inclusion is there for a reason. For one of the main goals for any opening theme is to pretty much establish the mood and establish a line of thinking that the player must abide to. And this theme is shining example of that principle. I hear this now and I immediately think cyberpunk, X-Files-esque conspiracies and saving the world from catastrophe – pretty much what Deus Ex is all about. I can picture all of this is achieved even without a single image being shown. In fact I bet you could play this to anyone without a prior knowledge of Deus Ex and they'll pick it up straight away. And if your opening theme can do that then you're onto a winner indeed.
I also like the orchestral arrangements and the pounding drums throughout. And let us not forget: At the end of the day is a pretty damn good tune.
Not much more I can say except, I must confess that nowadays I, unfortunately, can’t hear this song without thinking: “Put on a trenchcoat, and fight some conspiracies, Get experience and level up abilities…”
Final Fantasy 9 - Crossing The Hills
You know what? Of all the Final Fantasy games I’ve played, I would have to say that no.9 has the strongest soundtrack of all. And I’m not the only one: Nobuo Uematsu himself has even ranked no.9 as his favourite. So who am I to argue?
And once again I face the difficult process of selecting one track on a soundtrack that’s packed to the gills with gems. I love The Place I’ll Return to Someday. I love Awakened Forest. I love Freya’s theme. I love Burmecian Kingdom. I love You Are Not Alone!. Much like Secret of Mana, in the previous post, if I could the entire soundtrack on this list I damn well would’ve. But no, I’ve broken enough of my own self-imposed rules already so we must go with one. And the lucky winner is Crossing the Hills.
One thing I like about this, and this may sound kind of bizarre, is whilst this used as a world/journeying theme, it doesn’t sound anything like an atypical journeying theme. I wouldn’t associate this with exploring a world – I would think it more a theme to a storybook being read than a game.
And that’s what’s kinda cool about it. I mentioned in my best endings post that Final Fantasy IX does come across as taking the storybook approach – perhaps more so than it’s brethren – and this theme really is representative of that intent.
But this is just me rambling. Simply put: I like this song, I think it’s great so just listen to it and draw your own conclusions.
Metal Gear Solid - The Best is Yet to Come
Well seeing have I’ve spoken at length of the emotional impression Metal Gear Solid’s ending had on me having The Best is Yet to Come on this list shouldn’t come to a surprise to the regular viewer of this blog. But who am I kidding? It’s a great song and one of those rare songs that still sound great no matter how many times one hears it.
Mind you, Celtic folk isn’t something you’d hear in any video game at all, let alone a military drama but here it works. And as the title suggests, the Best is Yet to Come: Snake completed his mission and ultimately found himself and a new purpose in life and hearing this haunting tune only adds to that truth. The fact that it is accompanied by the footage of the Alaskan wildlife, where life truly does go on, only adds more to it.
But again, this is one theme that exists freely beyond the confines of its original purpose. I can hear this when I’m feeling low and it helps. For tomorrow is another day. The problems that came before are meaningless. Things can get better and every moment in this life counts. It may sound cheesy but to find a theme that can work without it’s accompanying game is a rare thing. But to find such a life-affirming theme in a video game is certainly an achievement in itself. Who would’ve guessed that video game music could do such a thing?!
Shining Force 3 - Scenario 1 opening theme
I’ve played the Shining Force games that came out on the Megadrive and I enjoyed them very much. But I have issue with the music: It sounds ghastly and has aged rather horribly. So much so I can barely listen to instead preferring to mute it and put on some Dragon Force.
Thus hearing this, the opening to Shining Force 3 (scenario 1) on the Saturn, comes largely as a shock: Instead of some Megadrive ditty, we get a full orchestral piece accompanied by the rapping of military drums. It sounds epic, heroic and more representative of the game, a strategy RPG, as a whole. The fact that this is playing during the opening cinematic – which features the unforgettable image of two warriors facing off against each other in a crumbling fire-ravaged city as a giant mech approaches – is the icing on the cake.
Indeed, listening to this theme now to me sounds like the composers finally had an opportunity to work beyond the technological restrictions previously presented to them and are relishing it for all it’s worth. As such whereas the previous Shining Force games have had soundtracks consisting of rather chirpy sounding little ditties, this, along with the rest of the soundtrack, sounds much more serious and indeed more befitting of an army fighting its way through countless battles. Indeed one feels that this is the soundtrack that the Shining Force games deserved all along.
Not much else to say but there have been many heroic themes throughout fantasy games but none of them can match this: More than anything that came before it, or even after it, this is the sound of an army marching to war.
Starcraft - Terran Theme 1
It’s the Korean National Anthem!
Okay seriously, much like the Command and Conquer themes, this is pretty much a battle theme, designed to get the blood pumping and create the mood of building an army, storming across the battlefield and annihilating anything stupid enough to get in your way. Whilst the first part, the orchestral arrangements that came with the UED campaign in Brood War, is impressive by it’s self, the real meat comes in the rock part. I love the moody bass and the guitar work but the real treat comes in the keyboard work (Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-Bah, Bah, Bah bahhhh!!!). In any case, this theme works as being many parts being put together to produce a compelling whole.
Of course the rest of the soundtrack to Starcraft is pretty cool in itself. But what I find particularly interesting is that this theme, and indeed the rest of the Terran music, is more akin to conventional music from a strategy game. Thus the themes to the Protoss and the Zerg are less about convention and more building a mood to go with the race in question. Thus the Zerg get themes with industrial electronics, squealing guitars and a sense of being evolved to destroy. And the Protoss get orchestral themes, a sombre mood and the sense that a once glorious civilisation is pretty much on it’s knees. It’s an unusual move for a strategy game but in my mind, makes it all the better for it.
So that's it for the fifth generation. Already, game music was evolving at an impressive rate and delivering some unforgettable tunes. So what can the sixth generation do? Tune in next week to find out...
Monday, August 15, 2011
Losing My Religion
Evil religions are easy fodder for JRPGs aren't they? Look at any JRPG and you see it's more or less all the same: There is some religion which everyone follows run by some corrupt officials who gleefully have the populace under their thumb - also these leaders have their hopes set on the the return of some messiah figure who ultimately turns out to be some kind of demon.
How many times has that scenario been used? In fact, very few in number are the JRPGs that portray religion in a more positive light (the churches in the Shining Force series comes to mind)
But when I consider the afore-mentioned scenario, what fascinates me the most is what happens next. In challenging, and subsequently defeating, the evil demon, the player character effectively destroys the influence of the evil religion and frees it's flock from it's grip. But then what? Exposing one's religion as a sham and then destroying it is a big thing - hardly the type one can walk away freely from. So what happens next? What do the followers do? Are they happy? Now that they have free will do they know what to do with it? Do they spend their days in confusion? Or do they form a big mob and go after the killjoy player character?
You know, as I type this I want to know what happens next. I would like to see an RPG (or indeed any kind of game) of two halves where the first half deals with the 'evil religion' scenario and the second half deals with the afore-mentioned 'aftermath' scenario. Why not? It would certainly make for an interesting twist to the tried/tested/run-into-the-ground 'evil religion' scenario. I know Final Fantasy X-2 sort of tried this but it didn't take the idea far enough (that and the rest of the game was total rubbish). I also know that Shadow of the Colossus sort of tackled this idea but that's more speculative.
The door is open so any takers?
How many times has that scenario been used? In fact, very few in number are the JRPGs that portray religion in a more positive light (the churches in the Shining Force series comes to mind)
But when I consider the afore-mentioned scenario, what fascinates me the most is what happens next. In challenging, and subsequently defeating, the evil demon, the player character effectively destroys the influence of the evil religion and frees it's flock from it's grip. But then what? Exposing one's religion as a sham and then destroying it is a big thing - hardly the type one can walk away freely from. So what happens next? What do the followers do? Are they happy? Now that they have free will do they know what to do with it? Do they spend their days in confusion? Or do they form a big mob and go after the killjoy player character?
You know, as I type this I want to know what happens next. I would like to see an RPG (or indeed any kind of game) of two halves where the first half deals with the 'evil religion' scenario and the second half deals with the afore-mentioned 'aftermath' scenario. Why not? It would certainly make for an interesting twist to the tried/tested/run-into-the-ground 'evil religion' scenario. I know Final Fantasy X-2 sort of tried this but it didn't take the idea far enough (that and the rest of the game was total rubbish). I also know that Shadow of the Colossus sort of tackled this idea but that's more speculative.
The door is open so any takers?
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Return of Saturn
Megadrive emulators are now a dime a dozen aren’t they? Frist there was the Megadrive Collection and then the Sonic Mega Collection and now, more recently, there’s Sega Megadrive Ultimate collection and the Sega Gold Classics Collection.
I was already suspicious with the presence Sega Megadrive Ultimate collection: Whilst the presence of a Hi-Def revamp is welcome enough, it begged the question of why the collection needed to exist: Many of these games are available for download on the Virtual Console, XBLA and the PSN and many of them appeared on the previous collection. But if the existence of the Sega Megadrive Ultimate collection is a puzzling one then what is the purpose of the Sega Gold Platinum Diamond Classics Hall of Fame Whatever the hell it’s called Collection? Many of the games featured on this monstrosity are already available elsewhere (and without much difficulty) and the actual differences to it and it’s predecessors are minor. So the question remains: why does this latest compilation exist?
Personally, I’m growing tired of Sega’s old games reappearing in these collections. True we can all agree that Sega’s defining moment came in the form of the Megadrive but the continual presence of these collections is more than beating a dead horse. Don’t get me wrong: I loved Sonic and the Megadrive when I was a kid but I don’t want the same games being churned out in a factory-like fashion. I don’t want the lesser moments of Sega trying to pass themselves off as a highpoint. I don’t want Sega to keep telling me: “Remember when we used to be good?!?!?”
Sure we may all agree that the Megadrive was Sega’s finest hour but this is what disturbs me the most: Anything else simply doesn’t matter. Now I can understand that re-releasing old games and making them readily available can inspire both old-timers, like myself, and entice the curious but why is this move confined to the Megadrive? Sega made other consoles but they are being shunned – but even before I complete typing this sentence I can already think of the reason why: The Megadrive sold and the others didn’t. Thus it seems possible that Sega isn’t willing to take such risks and, most likely, would rather their past mistakes remained buried. True the Dreamcast got a collection of it’s own on the 360 but most likely the console itself was a decent enough seller to warrant it (a worthy achievement in itself seeing how much vile is reserved for other failed consoles in the history of gaming).
But personally I would like to see Sega’s other consoles given a new lease of life: I want to see the Mega CD brought back into the light and maybe given the respect that eluded it the first time around. Forget the lousy FMV that plagued the system and one will find the system had some worthy games that are indeed worth a second chance: Android Assault, Eternal Champions, Final Fight, Lunar Silver Star, Popful Mail, Vay, Silpheed, Shining Force and Snatcher. Who knows? If you focus on the strengths, people may be willing to forget the faults.
And what about the Saturn? Some may claim that Sega maybe unwilling to touch it because of Saturn’s infamous complexity in programming the games for it. But most likely Sega may not be willing to return to a rather black spot in their history. However I think otherwise - I can think of some highlights that may surely warrant a second look: Burning Rangers, Deep Fear, Dark Seed, Dragon Force, Guardian Heroes, Radiant Silver gun and Shining in the Holy Ark. If they did a new version of NiGHTs for the Wii why not dust the original off? Who wouldn’t want to see the two unreleased chapters of Shining Force 3 finally see the light of day? And how many of you want the play the fabled Panzer Dragoon Saga (I know I do!)?
Hey if people can come with an emulator for the Saturn then it is possible to circumnavigate the complexity of the system, right?
Alas, as I said before, it seems that whilst the Megadrive was a big seller the other consoles in Sega’s history weren’t. Thus it seems clear that Sega aren’t prepared to take such a risk. And the mention of risks seems a bit strange since the Sega I grew up with wasn’t the kind to play it safe. Sure many of those risks didn’t exactly pay off but who was it that shrugged off the Mortal Kombat fatalities when Nintendo balked out? Sega. Who had the audacity to permanently bump off a character partway through their flagship RPG series before Aerith Gainsborough? Sega.
Okay so maybe Sega aren’t exactly in a position where they once were able to take chances but dammit, I would rather see a collection of Mega CD or Saturn games than yet another attempt to convince me Altered Beast, Bonanza Bros, Gain Ground and the Megadrive Virtua Fighter were any good.
And hey, I would’ve gladly played Knuckles Chaotix appear on the Sonic Gems Collection, as opposed to the lousy Game Gear games, any day
I was already suspicious with the presence Sega Megadrive Ultimate collection: Whilst the presence of a Hi-Def revamp is welcome enough, it begged the question of why the collection needed to exist: Many of these games are available for download on the Virtual Console, XBLA and the PSN and many of them appeared on the previous collection. But if the existence of the Sega Megadrive Ultimate collection is a puzzling one then what is the purpose of the Sega Gold Platinum Diamond Classics Hall of Fame Whatever the hell it’s called Collection? Many of the games featured on this monstrosity are already available elsewhere (and without much difficulty) and the actual differences to it and it’s predecessors are minor. So the question remains: why does this latest compilation exist?
Personally, I’m growing tired of Sega’s old games reappearing in these collections. True we can all agree that Sega’s defining moment came in the form of the Megadrive but the continual presence of these collections is more than beating a dead horse. Don’t get me wrong: I loved Sonic and the Megadrive when I was a kid but I don’t want the same games being churned out in a factory-like fashion. I don’t want the lesser moments of Sega trying to pass themselves off as a highpoint. I don’t want Sega to keep telling me: “Remember when we used to be good?!?!?”
Sure we may all agree that the Megadrive was Sega’s finest hour but this is what disturbs me the most: Anything else simply doesn’t matter. Now I can understand that re-releasing old games and making them readily available can inspire both old-timers, like myself, and entice the curious but why is this move confined to the Megadrive? Sega made other consoles but they are being shunned – but even before I complete typing this sentence I can already think of the reason why: The Megadrive sold and the others didn’t. Thus it seems possible that Sega isn’t willing to take such risks and, most likely, would rather their past mistakes remained buried. True the Dreamcast got a collection of it’s own on the 360 but most likely the console itself was a decent enough seller to warrant it (a worthy achievement in itself seeing how much vile is reserved for other failed consoles in the history of gaming).
But personally I would like to see Sega’s other consoles given a new lease of life: I want to see the Mega CD brought back into the light and maybe given the respect that eluded it the first time around. Forget the lousy FMV that plagued the system and one will find the system had some worthy games that are indeed worth a second chance: Android Assault, Eternal Champions, Final Fight, Lunar Silver Star, Popful Mail, Vay, Silpheed, Shining Force and Snatcher. Who knows? If you focus on the strengths, people may be willing to forget the faults.
And what about the Saturn? Some may claim that Sega maybe unwilling to touch it because of Saturn’s infamous complexity in programming the games for it. But most likely Sega may not be willing to return to a rather black spot in their history. However I think otherwise - I can think of some highlights that may surely warrant a second look: Burning Rangers, Deep Fear, Dark Seed, Dragon Force, Guardian Heroes, Radiant Silver gun and Shining in the Holy Ark. If they did a new version of NiGHTs for the Wii why not dust the original off? Who wouldn’t want to see the two unreleased chapters of Shining Force 3 finally see the light of day? And how many of you want the play the fabled Panzer Dragoon Saga (I know I do!)?
Hey if people can come with an emulator for the Saturn then it is possible to circumnavigate the complexity of the system, right?
Alas, as I said before, it seems that whilst the Megadrive was a big seller the other consoles in Sega’s history weren’t. Thus it seems clear that Sega aren’t prepared to take such a risk. And the mention of risks seems a bit strange since the Sega I grew up with wasn’t the kind to play it safe. Sure many of those risks didn’t exactly pay off but who was it that shrugged off the Mortal Kombat fatalities when Nintendo balked out? Sega. Who had the audacity to permanently bump off a character partway through their flagship RPG series before Aerith Gainsborough? Sega.
Okay so maybe Sega aren’t exactly in a position where they once were able to take chances but dammit, I would rather see a collection of Mega CD or Saturn games than yet another attempt to convince me Altered Beast, Bonanza Bros, Gain Ground and the Megadrive Virtua Fighter were any good.
And hey, I would’ve gladly played Knuckles Chaotix appear on the Sonic Gems Collection, as opposed to the lousy Game Gear games, any day
Friday, August 5, 2011
Degeneration (no.5)
And here we go with the next installment in this series. And what a time the fifth console generation was: A new contender stepped into the field and everything was turned upside down. How did this affect me? Funny you should ask…
Sony Playstation
Well there was no getting around it. If anything, the fifth console generation will be best remembered by the arrival of Sony in the console race. And unlike other would-be contenders, like the 3DO or the Jaguar, the PlayStation had the support of a major electronics company behind it and a cunning marketing plan clearly aimed at young adults. Right from the word go Sony had become a force that was pretty much here to stay.
For much the mid-nineties I was in high school and as a result, my interest in video games waned – true I did get abreast of what was happening but other times my focus was elsewhere. Yet even with my aloofness there was really no escape the Playstation juggernaut. I was surprised to see familiar franchises like Castlevania and Metal Gear get a new lease of life. I recall seeing ads for Final Fantasy 8 on TV and I was equally surprised to see PS1 games appear in my local music store. But even if my interest in PS1 was limited at the time, I do recall visiting friends (again) and playing Tekken and Loaded. I also recognised conversions of favourite arcade games (Darkstalkers), Windows 95 games (Return Fire) and adaptations of ace anime (Ghost in the Shell).
True my interest in video games had hit a low point but I knew what Playstation was and it was reason enough to get excited. I recall thinking what games I’d get if I got one (although I’d only actually play them in the next generation…..more on that later) so that must make for a positive sign. I remember seeing some of the stunning game cinematic and being blown away.
In retrospect though, there is something about the Playstation that doesn’t sit well with me. Remember in my SNES review how people will struggle to come with a best game that wasn’t made by Square or Nintendo? Well, it’s the same problem here.
Allow me to elaborate: One of the key reasons behind the success of the Playstation is that it was able to offer a home to a lot of third-party developers who were angry at Sega’s missteps and annoyed Nintendo’s restrictions. Thus, it’s clear to me that whilst a lot of familiar IP got a new lease of life many attempts to come up with something new didn’t go anywhere.
Ask anyone which was the best PS1 game and they’d say either Castlevania Symphony of the Night, Final Fantasy 7 or Metal Gear Solid. Beyond those big three it’s a struggle to come up with something else. Aside from Gran Turismo and maybe Tomb Raider it’s a struggle to come up with any real franchise starters. Sure the afore-mentioned ‘Big Three’ may have gone their own direction but they still started from somewhere else nonetheless. Granted Sony may have at least tried to say something new with their blitzkrieg marketing campaign but in the end, what put them on the map was a bunch of old faces given a facelift.
But whatever misgivings I may have about the Playstation, there was no denying it was a hit and was here to stay. It got me excited and changed gaming forever. And that is indeed an achievement that can’t be ignored.
Sega Saturn
And thus the honeymoon ended….
Like most people, my status as a Sega fanboy pretty much died with the Saturn. As mentioned above, my interest were being diverted elsewhere and Sony was proving to be an attractive prospect. Plus I was aware of Sega’s failed add-ons, the Mega CD and the 32X, that didn’t really go anywhere. But even when I saw Saturn games in the stores, there was a part of me that realised that the Sega of then was different one to the Sega that gave us Sonic and the Megadrive.
Nevertheless I still kept an eye on things that were happening in the Sega camp. And in retrospect the Saturn did have some potential. Aside from the prospect of having conversions of then popular arcades (Virtua Cop 1+2 come to mind), at least Sega tried to bring new IP to the table. Sure not all of them were successful (ie Bug and Clockwork Knight) but in some cases it worked in their favour. I recall seeing Nights into Dreams and thinking it had a degree of beauty unlike anything I had seen before. I was also impressed with the creative designs that went into the Panzer Dragoon games.
Indeed much has been written about how complex it was to program games for the Saturn but it is only recently that I found out how many of the unique designs for some games came about only because the programmers were working within the limitations that faced them. And it’s interesting to see, in retrospect, the contrast between the Playstation and Saturn. Whereas the former favoured sci-fi-esque landscapes (Final Fantasy 7+8 and, to a lesser extent, Metal Gear Solid), the latter seemed to go in a direction leaning to fantasy/steampunk (ie Panzer Dragoon and Shining Force 3). This was indeed an idea, and an identity, that had potential so it’s indeed a disappointment that it wasn’t pushed further.
Ultimately, there isn’t a lot I can say about the Sega Saturn. I didn’t buy one and in retrospect, it proved to be a wise move. True it may have turned me off Sega for a long time, like most people, but it was more a natural progression of life than a betrayal. But now, like many historical revisionists, I have to give Sega some credit: They were trying something new. Through the complexity of the Saturn’s programming, they realised the necessity to build new IP and tried to say something new and unique with the tools they had at their disposal. True, a move like that would prove horrifically risky for any company – more so when said company is losing vital ground and left withering in uncertainty. But in the end, the Saturn ended up with a truly unique game library and that in itself is worth some credit.
N64
I hear people say today that the N64 wasn’t as big a seller as its predecessors. But most likely those people were from the US. During the late nineties I remember knowing many people who owned one of these – In fact now that I think about it, the people who owned an N64 outnumbered those who owned a PS1.
For many people, the N64 was another turning point in the history of gaming: It was the epitome of the fifth generation and many people today can recite tales of their childhood spent playing Super Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time. But I personally have a different perspective of the N64 – you see it represents me the things I didn’t like about the fifth generation.
Don’t get me wrong: I have fond memories of going to friends’ places and playing against each other in Goldeneye 007 and Diddy Kong Racing. I also played Super Mario 64 too. But for me the 3d age was here in full effect and the N64 represented the unease I felt at the time.
I recall playing Super Mario 64 for the first time and found it hard to get into grips with – the wonky camera didn’t really help much either. Most of the time I spent playing Mario 64 involved me running Mario around like headless chook wondering what the hell I was supposed to do next. During this time I played other 3D games, some before Mario 64, and at times I found them unwieldy and no fun at all to play. And such a disgust did indeed influence my playing of Mario 64.
Secondly, whereas I felt the SNES had beautiful graphics (and still do), much of the 3D graphics took a lot of getting used to. Compared to it’s predecessor, the models on the N64 looked hideous! They were badly constructed and looked less like proper graphical models and more like a bunch of random squares thrown in together. To me, this seemed an awful step backwards to what the SNES had accomplished and made me feel put off by the fifth generation and wondering if things had truly taken a turn for the worse.
Of course now, in 2011, such a contemptuous view has been softened (somewhat): Sure we can whinge about the camera on Super Mario 64 but at that point many of the developers were trying new things and coming into grips with this new technology. Indeed, it is interesting to see many of the things they tried in Super Mario 64 get reworked, and improved, with Ocarina of Time. And in a way, it could be said that both Nintendo and Sega were going through an experimental phase at this point in time, trying to find what works. But in that case, Nintendo proved more successful.
So in the end, despite my initial mistrust, I can now use the Virtual Console to download games for the N64 and can play them with fresh eyes. And despite my annoyance with wonky cameras, I can see there was some beauty within the beast.
If this write up seems a bit bland that’s because during the fifth generation my youthful enthusiasm for gaming consoles was in a period of remission. Sure much of it comes in the form of unease towards the innovations of the fifth generation (as with any new technology) but ultimately, it was more a natural progression of life: You find new things, you embrace them for so long until you then move onto other new things. And this case, the real world demanded attention: I had left secondary school and ahead lay college and, eventually, University.
And in retrospect, gaming of the fifth generation represented, for me, a transitional period. The seemingly untouchable Nintendo was beginning to try out new ideas and technology and, as before, everyone was taking note. The former heavyweight Sega had been crippled but was also in an experimental phase, trying out new ideas and ways to get the point across. And the newcomer Sony welcomed in many giants in from the previous eras to ride all the way to the top. The once, two-horse race had now opened up to three and, by the generations end, had revealed three very different outcomes for each contender.
But as I said it was a transitional period: Many of these changes I remained oblivious to with my attention being diverted elsewhere. Thus I went off gaming for a number of years. But little did I know, gaming itself wasn’t going to give up on me that easily….
Sony Playstation
Well there was no getting around it. If anything, the fifth console generation will be best remembered by the arrival of Sony in the console race. And unlike other would-be contenders, like the 3DO or the Jaguar, the PlayStation had the support of a major electronics company behind it and a cunning marketing plan clearly aimed at young adults. Right from the word go Sony had become a force that was pretty much here to stay.
For much the mid-nineties I was in high school and as a result, my interest in video games waned – true I did get abreast of what was happening but other times my focus was elsewhere. Yet even with my aloofness there was really no escape the Playstation juggernaut. I was surprised to see familiar franchises like Castlevania and Metal Gear get a new lease of life. I recall seeing ads for Final Fantasy 8 on TV and I was equally surprised to see PS1 games appear in my local music store. But even if my interest in PS1 was limited at the time, I do recall visiting friends (again) and playing Tekken and Loaded. I also recognised conversions of favourite arcade games (Darkstalkers), Windows 95 games (Return Fire) and adaptations of ace anime (Ghost in the Shell).
True my interest in video games had hit a low point but I knew what Playstation was and it was reason enough to get excited. I recall thinking what games I’d get if I got one (although I’d only actually play them in the next generation…..more on that later) so that must make for a positive sign. I remember seeing some of the stunning game cinematic and being blown away.
In retrospect though, there is something about the Playstation that doesn’t sit well with me. Remember in my SNES review how people will struggle to come with a best game that wasn’t made by Square or Nintendo? Well, it’s the same problem here.
Allow me to elaborate: One of the key reasons behind the success of the Playstation is that it was able to offer a home to a lot of third-party developers who were angry at Sega’s missteps and annoyed Nintendo’s restrictions. Thus, it’s clear to me that whilst a lot of familiar IP got a new lease of life many attempts to come up with something new didn’t go anywhere.
Ask anyone which was the best PS1 game and they’d say either Castlevania Symphony of the Night, Final Fantasy 7 or Metal Gear Solid. Beyond those big three it’s a struggle to come up with something else. Aside from Gran Turismo and maybe Tomb Raider it’s a struggle to come up with any real franchise starters. Sure the afore-mentioned ‘Big Three’ may have gone their own direction but they still started from somewhere else nonetheless. Granted Sony may have at least tried to say something new with their blitzkrieg marketing campaign but in the end, what put them on the map was a bunch of old faces given a facelift.
But whatever misgivings I may have about the Playstation, there was no denying it was a hit and was here to stay. It got me excited and changed gaming forever. And that is indeed an achievement that can’t be ignored.
Sega Saturn
And thus the honeymoon ended….
Like most people, my status as a Sega fanboy pretty much died with the Saturn. As mentioned above, my interest were being diverted elsewhere and Sony was proving to be an attractive prospect. Plus I was aware of Sega’s failed add-ons, the Mega CD and the 32X, that didn’t really go anywhere. But even when I saw Saturn games in the stores, there was a part of me that realised that the Sega of then was different one to the Sega that gave us Sonic and the Megadrive.
Nevertheless I still kept an eye on things that were happening in the Sega camp. And in retrospect the Saturn did have some potential. Aside from the prospect of having conversions of then popular arcades (Virtua Cop 1+2 come to mind), at least Sega tried to bring new IP to the table. Sure not all of them were successful (ie Bug and Clockwork Knight) but in some cases it worked in their favour. I recall seeing Nights into Dreams and thinking it had a degree of beauty unlike anything I had seen before. I was also impressed with the creative designs that went into the Panzer Dragoon games.
Indeed much has been written about how complex it was to program games for the Saturn but it is only recently that I found out how many of the unique designs for some games came about only because the programmers were working within the limitations that faced them. And it’s interesting to see, in retrospect, the contrast between the Playstation and Saturn. Whereas the former favoured sci-fi-esque landscapes (Final Fantasy 7+8 and, to a lesser extent, Metal Gear Solid), the latter seemed to go in a direction leaning to fantasy/steampunk (ie Panzer Dragoon and Shining Force 3). This was indeed an idea, and an identity, that had potential so it’s indeed a disappointment that it wasn’t pushed further.
Ultimately, there isn’t a lot I can say about the Sega Saturn. I didn’t buy one and in retrospect, it proved to be a wise move. True it may have turned me off Sega for a long time, like most people, but it was more a natural progression of life than a betrayal. But now, like many historical revisionists, I have to give Sega some credit: They were trying something new. Through the complexity of the Saturn’s programming, they realised the necessity to build new IP and tried to say something new and unique with the tools they had at their disposal. True, a move like that would prove horrifically risky for any company – more so when said company is losing vital ground and left withering in uncertainty. But in the end, the Saturn ended up with a truly unique game library and that in itself is worth some credit.
N64
I hear people say today that the N64 wasn’t as big a seller as its predecessors. But most likely those people were from the US. During the late nineties I remember knowing many people who owned one of these – In fact now that I think about it, the people who owned an N64 outnumbered those who owned a PS1.
For many people, the N64 was another turning point in the history of gaming: It was the epitome of the fifth generation and many people today can recite tales of their childhood spent playing Super Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time. But I personally have a different perspective of the N64 – you see it represents me the things I didn’t like about the fifth generation.
Don’t get me wrong: I have fond memories of going to friends’ places and playing against each other in Goldeneye 007 and Diddy Kong Racing. I also played Super Mario 64 too. But for me the 3d age was here in full effect and the N64 represented the unease I felt at the time.
I recall playing Super Mario 64 for the first time and found it hard to get into grips with – the wonky camera didn’t really help much either. Most of the time I spent playing Mario 64 involved me running Mario around like headless chook wondering what the hell I was supposed to do next. During this time I played other 3D games, some before Mario 64, and at times I found them unwieldy and no fun at all to play. And such a disgust did indeed influence my playing of Mario 64.
Secondly, whereas I felt the SNES had beautiful graphics (and still do), much of the 3D graphics took a lot of getting used to. Compared to it’s predecessor, the models on the N64 looked hideous! They were badly constructed and looked less like proper graphical models and more like a bunch of random squares thrown in together. To me, this seemed an awful step backwards to what the SNES had accomplished and made me feel put off by the fifth generation and wondering if things had truly taken a turn for the worse.
Of course now, in 2011, such a contemptuous view has been softened (somewhat): Sure we can whinge about the camera on Super Mario 64 but at that point many of the developers were trying new things and coming into grips with this new technology. Indeed, it is interesting to see many of the things they tried in Super Mario 64 get reworked, and improved, with Ocarina of Time. And in a way, it could be said that both Nintendo and Sega were going through an experimental phase at this point in time, trying to find what works. But in that case, Nintendo proved more successful.
So in the end, despite my initial mistrust, I can now use the Virtual Console to download games for the N64 and can play them with fresh eyes. And despite my annoyance with wonky cameras, I can see there was some beauty within the beast.
If this write up seems a bit bland that’s because during the fifth generation my youthful enthusiasm for gaming consoles was in a period of remission. Sure much of it comes in the form of unease towards the innovations of the fifth generation (as with any new technology) but ultimately, it was more a natural progression of life: You find new things, you embrace them for so long until you then move onto other new things. And this case, the real world demanded attention: I had left secondary school and ahead lay college and, eventually, University.
And in retrospect, gaming of the fifth generation represented, for me, a transitional period. The seemingly untouchable Nintendo was beginning to try out new ideas and technology and, as before, everyone was taking note. The former heavyweight Sega had been crippled but was also in an experimental phase, trying out new ideas and ways to get the point across. And the newcomer Sony welcomed in many giants in from the previous eras to ride all the way to the top. The once, two-horse race had now opened up to three and, by the generations end, had revealed three very different outcomes for each contender.
But as I said it was a transitional period: Many of these changes I remained oblivious to with my attention being diverted elsewhere. Thus I went off gaming for a number of years. But little did I know, gaming itself wasn’t going to give up on me that easily….
Friday, July 29, 2011
Degeneration (no.4)
And thus we arrive to the fourth generation.
Now those who’ve been following this series will note that my recollections seem somewhat hazy. This is due to things being experienced out of order and exact moments in my gaming history are difficult to pinpoint.
But now all that is changed. Because I can recall one particular moment that sold me over: It remains burned in my memory as a turning point and, in retrospect, marks my true beginning as a gamer. And that moment was this:
Megadrive (or as some of you call it Genesis)
I recall reading through my brother’s video game magazine and was hit by a full page ad for Sonic the Hedgehog. And, like hundreds of other people, it was all over. I had know idea who this blue guy was but I was sold with his big eyes, cocky grin and a general ‘bring it on’ disposition. Naturally, this led me gravitating towards the Megadrive.
Needless to say, when I finally saw one in action, I wasn’t disappointed. It seemed a world apart form the eight bit games I had seen before. Of course this was all 16-bit but it seemed beefier: Anything seemed possible within this new gaming technology, with colourful graphics, large worlds to explore and character that would be impossible to replicate on the Master System, NES or Commodore 64.
As luck would have it, my cousin had one so many times were spent talking about games and playing them to death. Many memories were built up and some I still recall: Playing two player games of Golden Axe 2, the theme to the first level of Truxton, the character of Rocket Knight Adventures, being floored by the rotoscoped graphics to Flashback, playing an ace conversion of the Mortal Kombat arcade, being impressed by the tactical pace of Jungle Strike, being blown away by both Sonic and being excited about the arrival of Tails in Sonic 2 (and subsequently laughing by how many times he died through following Sonic).
However looking back through an adult perspective, there is a lot that hasn’t aged well in the world of the Megadrive. A lot of games have aged horribly (most of them being part of the pre-Sonic era when this new technology was being figured out) through lousy graphics, crummy sounds and being dull to play. Many game soundtracks now sound dreadful given the limited sound prowess of the console (ie Shining Force 2) and many games were really overshadowed by Sonic. True sport games had a field day on the Megadrive, the Shining series had some gems and the Phantasy Star’s importance as a pioneering RPG series can never be overlooked but beyond Sonic, one would struggle to come up with an equally important IP – whereas Nintendo had how many? Three? Five?
But in the terms of building a lasting impression, the Megadrive is in a class of it’s own. It’s arrival opened my eyes to the world of gaming: I discovered there was a world waiting for me and I charged right in: I read the CVG magazines my brother collected. I sought out the NES and the Master System. I became aware of Sonic’s intent to usurp the throne of some guy called Mario. I talked games with my classmates and built up bonds through common interests. I began to grow excited of the game that resided in the arcade machine. I built up an ear to the ground and grew excited about the hype machine (the arrival of Streetfighter 2 to home computers and the afore-mentioned arrival of Tails being two such examples). The wall may have been chipped previously, but this was a breakthrough. And it all came in the form of Sega’ s little black box.
SNES
Having spent the previous paragraphs gushing about the Megadrive it’s fair to say that I spent the fourth console generation as a Sega fanboy. So is there anything I can say about the other camp? Why yes there is.
I recall the SNES being really popular in it’s day: Even to the point when the Nintendo fans recovered ground lost by the Megadrive and, as before, outnumbering us Sega fans. But it was not without good reason. Now whilst I had a lot of focus towards the Megadrive, I will admit there some instances of the some Nintendo games slipping through the cracks. Through visiting friends at the time, I remember quite a bit: Getting my claws on Super Mario World and being impressed by how the familiar can be revamped quite dramatically, Playing Yoshi’s Island and thinking how the bizarre can actually come across as something very enjoyable, plunging headlong into the world that was Super Metroid and being very impressed with Donkey Kong Country.
But my own experiences with the SNES really come in two halves: With my childhood years and with my adult years. As described in the previous paragraph the childhood years were nothing more than flirtations but come my adult years, it was something completely different.
You see, it’s only in past few years that I started playing SNES games again – thus heralding the end of many years of wandering in the wilderness. In that period, I set about rediscovering the type of stuff that my comrades were doing years before. I hunted down many games that escaped my notice the first time and, needless to say, I found them very enjoyable. Even now it does indeed blow my mind that a game I noticed when I was a child could still work for me as an adult.
In fact, this perception of the SNES is an interesting counterpoint to the Megadrive: Whereas I can easily find a lot of things with Megadrive games that have been dated in the years since, this does not to be the case with the SNES library. I have played and enjoyed the likes of Super Mario World, Legend of Zelda Link to the Past, Secret of Mana, Actraiser, Terranigma, Super Metroid, Final Fantasy 4 & 6 and, of course, Chrono Trigger. All of which hold up remarkably well in this age of hi-def graphics. An obvious point would be the high quality game play the game is built around has outlasted many of trends that has come since the game’s initial release but the same could be said at an aesthetic level: Many of the SNES game are still as beautiful to look at now as the day they were released. I’m still impressed by how much detail can be squeezed out of such graphical limitations. And many of the music in games still hold up – and it seems that, through the presence of orchestral arrangements and remixes, many will agree with me. I love the Final Fantasy music (who doesn’t?), I rate the Secret of Mana very highly, and I think some of Link to the Past music outdoes many of the successive Legend of Zelda games.
Indeed, it’s fair to say that many games on the SNES have withstood the test of time very well – in fact, it makes one wonder whether the games we’re playing now will have similarly staying power ten years from now…
But one must take the good with the bad and in the SNES’ case I can see a problem: If the NES was something of a franchise starter, then the SNES is where the franchises took root. And to does raise the problem in that everyone was playing the same damn thing – even to the expense of the other titles. Granted it’s because the games were great but even now, you ask someone which was the best game on the SNES and they reply with the usual suspects: Super Mario World, Link to the Past, Super Metroid, Secret of Mana, Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy 6 (even as I type this I can see myself repeating myself and it’s damn depressing). Indeed, if you challenge anyone to name the best game on the SNES without mentioning those made by Nintendo or Square and they’ll struggle to say the least. Indeed, it’s this sense of entrenchment that may be costing Nintendo even now….
But criticism aside, the SNES was indeed one of the finest consoles ever made, blessed with superb titles and technological prowess. It represents for me staying power in games and a shining example of how something can last, and keep calling me back, years later. It’s a bastion still standing no matter what time, age and technological developments can throw against it.
Phew, what a mammoth post. No matter: I had a lot to say and I'm glad to have it said. See you this time next time next week for a shock to the system....
Now those who’ve been following this series will note that my recollections seem somewhat hazy. This is due to things being experienced out of order and exact moments in my gaming history are difficult to pinpoint.
But now all that is changed. Because I can recall one particular moment that sold me over: It remains burned in my memory as a turning point and, in retrospect, marks my true beginning as a gamer. And that moment was this:
Megadrive (or as some of you call it Genesis)
I recall reading through my brother’s video game magazine and was hit by a full page ad for Sonic the Hedgehog. And, like hundreds of other people, it was all over. I had know idea who this blue guy was but I was sold with his big eyes, cocky grin and a general ‘bring it on’ disposition. Naturally, this led me gravitating towards the Megadrive.
Needless to say, when I finally saw one in action, I wasn’t disappointed. It seemed a world apart form the eight bit games I had seen before. Of course this was all 16-bit but it seemed beefier: Anything seemed possible within this new gaming technology, with colourful graphics, large worlds to explore and character that would be impossible to replicate on the Master System, NES or Commodore 64.
As luck would have it, my cousin had one so many times were spent talking about games and playing them to death. Many memories were built up and some I still recall: Playing two player games of Golden Axe 2, the theme to the first level of Truxton, the character of Rocket Knight Adventures, being floored by the rotoscoped graphics to Flashback, playing an ace conversion of the Mortal Kombat arcade, being impressed by the tactical pace of Jungle Strike, being blown away by both Sonic and being excited about the arrival of Tails in Sonic 2 (and subsequently laughing by how many times he died through following Sonic).
However looking back through an adult perspective, there is a lot that hasn’t aged well in the world of the Megadrive. A lot of games have aged horribly (most of them being part of the pre-Sonic era when this new technology was being figured out) through lousy graphics, crummy sounds and being dull to play. Many game soundtracks now sound dreadful given the limited sound prowess of the console (ie Shining Force 2) and many games were really overshadowed by Sonic. True sport games had a field day on the Megadrive, the Shining series had some gems and the Phantasy Star’s importance as a pioneering RPG series can never be overlooked but beyond Sonic, one would struggle to come up with an equally important IP – whereas Nintendo had how many? Three? Five?
But in the terms of building a lasting impression, the Megadrive is in a class of it’s own. It’s arrival opened my eyes to the world of gaming: I discovered there was a world waiting for me and I charged right in: I read the CVG magazines my brother collected. I sought out the NES and the Master System. I became aware of Sonic’s intent to usurp the throne of some guy called Mario. I talked games with my classmates and built up bonds through common interests. I began to grow excited of the game that resided in the arcade machine. I built up an ear to the ground and grew excited about the hype machine (the arrival of Streetfighter 2 to home computers and the afore-mentioned arrival of Tails being two such examples). The wall may have been chipped previously, but this was a breakthrough. And it all came in the form of Sega’ s little black box.
SNES
Having spent the previous paragraphs gushing about the Megadrive it’s fair to say that I spent the fourth console generation as a Sega fanboy. So is there anything I can say about the other camp? Why yes there is.
I recall the SNES being really popular in it’s day: Even to the point when the Nintendo fans recovered ground lost by the Megadrive and, as before, outnumbering us Sega fans. But it was not without good reason. Now whilst I had a lot of focus towards the Megadrive, I will admit there some instances of the some Nintendo games slipping through the cracks. Through visiting friends at the time, I remember quite a bit: Getting my claws on Super Mario World and being impressed by how the familiar can be revamped quite dramatically, Playing Yoshi’s Island and thinking how the bizarre can actually come across as something very enjoyable, plunging headlong into the world that was Super Metroid and being very impressed with Donkey Kong Country.
But my own experiences with the SNES really come in two halves: With my childhood years and with my adult years. As described in the previous paragraph the childhood years were nothing more than flirtations but come my adult years, it was something completely different.
You see, it’s only in past few years that I started playing SNES games again – thus heralding the end of many years of wandering in the wilderness. In that period, I set about rediscovering the type of stuff that my comrades were doing years before. I hunted down many games that escaped my notice the first time and, needless to say, I found them very enjoyable. Even now it does indeed blow my mind that a game I noticed when I was a child could still work for me as an adult.
In fact, this perception of the SNES is an interesting counterpoint to the Megadrive: Whereas I can easily find a lot of things with Megadrive games that have been dated in the years since, this does not to be the case with the SNES library. I have played and enjoyed the likes of Super Mario World, Legend of Zelda Link to the Past, Secret of Mana, Actraiser, Terranigma, Super Metroid, Final Fantasy 4 & 6 and, of course, Chrono Trigger. All of which hold up remarkably well in this age of hi-def graphics. An obvious point would be the high quality game play the game is built around has outlasted many of trends that has come since the game’s initial release but the same could be said at an aesthetic level: Many of the SNES game are still as beautiful to look at now as the day they were released. I’m still impressed by how much detail can be squeezed out of such graphical limitations. And many of the music in games still hold up – and it seems that, through the presence of orchestral arrangements and remixes, many will agree with me. I love the Final Fantasy music (who doesn’t?), I rate the Secret of Mana very highly, and I think some of Link to the Past music outdoes many of the successive Legend of Zelda games.
Indeed, it’s fair to say that many games on the SNES have withstood the test of time very well – in fact, it makes one wonder whether the games we’re playing now will have similarly staying power ten years from now…
But one must take the good with the bad and in the SNES’ case I can see a problem: If the NES was something of a franchise starter, then the SNES is where the franchises took root. And to does raise the problem in that everyone was playing the same damn thing – even to the expense of the other titles. Granted it’s because the games were great but even now, you ask someone which was the best game on the SNES and they reply with the usual suspects: Super Mario World, Link to the Past, Super Metroid, Secret of Mana, Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy 6 (even as I type this I can see myself repeating myself and it’s damn depressing). Indeed, if you challenge anyone to name the best game on the SNES without mentioning those made by Nintendo or Square and they’ll struggle to say the least. Indeed, it’s this sense of entrenchment that may be costing Nintendo even now….
But criticism aside, the SNES was indeed one of the finest consoles ever made, blessed with superb titles and technological prowess. It represents for me staying power in games and a shining example of how something can last, and keep calling me back, years later. It’s a bastion still standing no matter what time, age and technological developments can throw against it.
Phew, what a mammoth post. No matter: I had a lot to say and I'm glad to have it said. See you this time next time next week for a shock to the system....
Monday, April 18, 2011
Shining in the Dragon Force
Ask any gamer which out of the many games they've played is their favorite and they'll struggle to come up with a decent response. I'm no different but I must profess a soft spot for the Megadrive (Genesis) game Shining Force 2.
Sure it may look childish (at least from an adult perspective), but there is still a a lot going for this game: Large battles, a big cast of characters (even if half of them are hopeless), fun with class changes and a big world to explore. It's a shame that the SRPG genre is kinda dead at the moment but Shining Force 2 (and it's comrade in arms Ogre Battle 64) still holds seem appeal to me that keeps calling me back.
Mind you, the only bone of contention I have with Shining Force 2 is the music: Good Lord, does it get VERY irritating VERY quickly. No I'm bagging the Megadrive's music capabilities but compared to many of the SNES' efforts, the music of many Megadrive games have dated quite horribly (although I do find the Sonic games and Phantasy Star 4 being an exception). And Shining Force 2 is indeed a casualty in the transition of time.
Thus, I've found the game can be massively improved by muting the sound completely and putting on some Dragon Force instead. It's amazing how such fast paced metal (or, as my friend put it, Battle music) can really fit in the game itself. It brings more excitement to the game itself and really fits the massive battles that make up SF2's gameplay. Indeed hearing Valley of the Damned in the middle of fighting a battle is an experienced that has be done to be believed.
So to all of you with SF2 on your Virtual Console: Try it! Drop the sound and put on some DragonForce. And trust me: Once you do, you'll never be able to go back.
Not that you'd want to anyway ;)
Sure it may look childish (at least from an adult perspective), but there is still a a lot going for this game: Large battles, a big cast of characters (even if half of them are hopeless), fun with class changes and a big world to explore. It's a shame that the SRPG genre is kinda dead at the moment but Shining Force 2 (and it's comrade in arms Ogre Battle 64) still holds seem appeal to me that keeps calling me back.
Mind you, the only bone of contention I have with Shining Force 2 is the music: Good Lord, does it get VERY irritating VERY quickly. No I'm bagging the Megadrive's music capabilities but compared to many of the SNES' efforts, the music of many Megadrive games have dated quite horribly (although I do find the Sonic games and Phantasy Star 4 being an exception). And Shining Force 2 is indeed a casualty in the transition of time.
Thus, I've found the game can be massively improved by muting the sound completely and putting on some Dragon Force instead. It's amazing how such fast paced metal (or, as my friend put it, Battle music) can really fit in the game itself. It brings more excitement to the game itself and really fits the massive battles that make up SF2's gameplay. Indeed hearing Valley of the Damned in the middle of fighting a battle is an experienced that has be done to be believed.
So to all of you with SF2 on your Virtual Console: Try it! Drop the sound and put on some DragonForce. And trust me: Once you do, you'll never be able to go back.
Not that you'd want to anyway ;)
Monday, February 28, 2011
10 Best Intros of the 4th Generation
It would seem that concocting an introduction to a video game is no easy task: You have to grab the viewer's attention immediately or else they won't give you the time of day. Indeed, with the lack of restriction that modern consoles offer in processing power, many games have bowled people over with a ferocious rush of an intro - and suck enough people in only to realise that less effort went into the game design itself.
Not for me though: The best intros for me came from the 16-bit era: 1990-1995. You know, a time when games knew they were games as opposed to movies. A time when developers embraced their limitations and acted smart in order to get their point across. You may bitch about me being old but for me, intros of the 16-bit era offered more atmosphere, more grabbing of the attention and more establishment of drama than many of their more recent contemporaries.
So for today, I present my list of the 10 best intros of the 16-bit era. These may be old games but they are memorable for a reason: They all worked in some way that they managed to grab my attention and urged me to take up the game controller in hand.
So here we go:
10 - Shining Force 2 (Megadrive)
And the list commences with a burglary that goes horribly wrong.
The key purpose of an introductory sequence in any game is to set up a setting and introduce both important characters and key elements. And Shining Force 2 pulls this off with flair: some key characters are established (not least of which Slade), drama and a sense of quest are both set up and a general mood of spookiness is maintained throughout - in the form of the lightening flashes, the weird music and the eventual appearance of the demonic figure. Indeed, the strongest element at work here is the suspense and the gradual sense of approaching calamity.
In this list, this introduction is the longest - and could very well be the longest introduction ever of the 16-bit era. It may seem nothing special to someone from the current area where ultra-long introductory sequences are commonplace but less has been said in eight minutes. In Shining Force 2, we see something so simple that eventually triggers a massive adventure. Every quest has to start somewhere.....
9 - Darkstalkers (Arcade)
Erm..... Morrigan.....
Seriously though, Attract Modes are integral to Arcade games: You need a decent intro to make yourself stand out from the other arcades alongside and make sure it is the gamer's money going into you - not the others. So what does Darkstalkers do? Offer up a topless chick. Well, as they say, sex does indeed sell: One can only how many people would've been sold over seeing Morrigan's curves.
Other than that, there are some nuggets of interest that maintain attention throughout the intro: I like the title appearing over the thunder effects, the panning shot of the genuine freak-show of fighters, the title's eventual appearance with the descending text, the movements of Morrigan's gaze and, of course, the silhouetted Dimitri.
So in the end, this intro won me over with some rather subtle use of imagery. And Morrigan.
8 - Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (TurboGraphix)
The Castlevania games have a reputation for building a degree of spookiness onto the player - you are, after all, traversing through a haunted castle so anything less simply would not have done at all. And the intro to Rondo of Blood establishes this spookiness right from the word go: We see a bunch of knights sacrificing a maiden which subsequently resurrects Dracula. I downloaded Rondo of Blood for the Virtual Console and I was surprised to see such a macabre intro - I never knew one such existed in the 16-bit era.
Indeed, a sense of unease is established with the toiling bell and the narration making it clear that people are rejecting peace and prosperity in favor of chaos - even to a point of going to an effort to end the peaceful age.
Of course, as made clear in the translated video above, the translation is peculiar and the German narration sounds ridiculous in it's sternness. But in the terms of spookiness, unease, drama and general macabre, you can't go past this.
7 - Chaos Engine (Amiga)
Sometimes, simplicity works best. Through text and minimal imagery, this intro introduces the characters who make up the game: Thus we meet a monster and learn just how big a threat it poses. We also meet six gun-totting mercenaries, all geared up to take on the titular baddie. And...that's pretty much it.
The reason why this intro works is that it establishes the six selectable with a portrait and passage of text. And within the confines of these two elements, the mercenaries certainly show plenty of character - we may not be presented with much more in the way of information about these dudes but what there is, is indeed enough. Perhaps maybe modern game developers should take note? Indeed, I for one would like to see how these six mercenaries would last in a current-generation game where fully-realised scripts and voice acting are the norm....
So yes, I like this intro for the way it introduces it's cast - the accompanying music, provided by the late great Richard Joseph, is a treat too.
6 - Jungle Strike (Megadrive)
Intros need to establish a sense of drama in order to grab the player's attention and to provide them with a sense of purpose for the action ahead. And this is shining example of that principle.
Two dudes blow up an island in the Pacific and immediately afterwards state their intent for revenge on the US: one for his father's death and the other for interference on their drug trading. Thus we meet the bad guys and learn their motivations - who are, of course, pissed off enough to use nuclear weapons upon Uncle Sam. Further drama is established through then cutting to a news broadcast and finally settling on the player character swinging into action. Thus, we see a chain of events which explains everything - all held together with some great music which furthers the sense of urgency. I however like the imagery which are made to resemble that of a comic book. I also like the laid-back attitude of the player character responding to things as they unfold before him.
See? This is how it's done: In a few short minutes we meet the bad guys, we see what they are capable of, we see what has inspired them to do what they are doing, we see the effects and then we meet the player character and see just what type of character he is. No in medias res, no unnecessary padding, no complexity and nothing coming all out at once. See? Simplicity works for a reason!
5 - Alien vs Predator (Arcade)
Again, an arcade game providing an attract sequence that demands attention - and again, provided by Capcom no less. Immediately, the first thing that grabs attention is the music: A theme that suggests the mood of the game without a single image: Impending doom, invasion from an unstoppable foe and unexpected help from what could be the lesser of two evils. Indeed, I remember being a kid and hanging around the cabinet just for the music itself.
The images also work great: I like the changes of perspective going from lunar orbit, to a computer screen before ending to a battlefield. I also like seeing the hordes of Aliens, the sense that the two marines are the only opposition left standing and the sudden arrival of the Predators.
Indeed, what makes this intro work is the drama of encountering an unstoppable foe who outnumbers you a hundred times over and, generally, being part of a battlefield where the main combatants are two intruders to your planet leaving you, the human cyborgs, caught in the middle. In fact the use of the sentence 'A Living Hell' on it's own, says a lot.
And the fact that I was willing to use so much coinage on this game in my teen years suggests the mission of the attract mode, a well and truly successful one.
4 - Super Metroid (SNES)
Whilst the pre-game set up of Super Metroid with Samus' narration is an impressive sequence by itself, the part I will forever remember is the title screen. In such a short space of time, we see three corpses - one clearly being a child - and the Metroid linked up to a machine, being the only light source in an otherwise darkened room. As a result, a sense of drama is established in the most subtle of ways: we the audience are left wondering who are (or were) these people? What happened to them? What is the Metroid doing there? Throw in some extremely creepy music and we have a degree of interest triggered within the player and just what awaits them ahead. Its a triumph of subtlety - and the best bit of all is the pay off: In the first location, Samus encounters the machine but this time, the Metroid is missing.
Super Metroid may be best remembered as a game of subtle moments and a sense of unease - but the most memorable moment of all is when all of these are established masterfully at the very beginning. No wonder many modern game developers keep looking to Super Metroid for inspiration.
3 - Final Fantasy 6 (SNES)
The first five Final Fantasy games (hurrah for alliteration!) had a deceptive undercurrent: It all looked bright and cheerful ate first glance but underneath there lurked some sinister elements: Somber musical pieces, as many sad endings as happy endings and permanent deaths of party characters. Thus, the sixth Final Fantasy immediately announces it's intentions from the start: Through a dramatic organ and a drab colour palette, it becomes clear that the seriousness has come to the front and the colourful back-drops of the past have been placed aside. It is interesting how such a change in mood can be pulled off so well - indeed, one can only wonder the sense of surprise on one who'd been weened on FF4. Indeed, seeing as FF is a game series that provides variations on a theme, when they do something completely different it is worth sitting up and taking notice.
And that's not the only FF convention turned on it's head: In the expository text that follows, we see magic, one of the FF hallmarks, has been discarded and technology has taken it's place. Further drama is established with certain people wanting recover the forgotten art of magic and the potential threat of repeating a previous calamity. No doubt about it, FF6 certainly adds a lot of conflict right off the bat.
However, the most memorable aspect is the credits sequence, where we see a trio of mechs advancing through the snow, accompanied by a haunting rendition of Terra's theme. This is indeed, one of most memorable images of the 16-bit era and, I for one, certainly had it burned into my mind the first time I saw it. I guess it must be one of those videos where everything clicks together to produce a solid whole - I can't really describe why it's so memorable: I guess it's one of those perfect moments that everyone has to see it for themselves.
All in all, the march sequence is truly a shining example of how music and imagery can join forces to produce something that could only be described as unforgettable.
2 - Terranigma (SNES)
Whilst the US got Chrono Trigger, the UK, Europe and Australia had to settle for Terranigma. A forgotten gem yes but what an introductory sequence! In terms of presentation, this one leaps ahead of the rest. It utilizes some stunning graphics and a great choice of music, ranging from the heartbeat at the beginning to the restrained music throughout. Everything is handled in a subtle manner (an alien concept to many JRPGs) and the effort gone into it shows. The text is also compelling describing a planet from birth and the trials and tribulations of the people on it, accompanied by the brilliant use of time passing on a pocket watch. Also of particular interest is the use of Biblical motifs - which of course leads to my favourite moment: The watch ticks to twelve o'clock, the hands fall off and a numbers shift to make way for a Thirteenth hour.
Some say JRPG's are all bombast and lack subtlety but then they decide to do things differently, it succeeds with flying colours.
Terranigma may be disregarded as some to be a poor cousin to Chrono Trigger - but it sure has a lot going for it with it's use of history, it's glorious music and it's ideas. All of these are brought together to bring the finest introduction ever on the SNES.
And my favourite intro of the 16-bit era is....
1 - Moonstone (Amiga)
So what makes a memorable intro? Awesome visuals? Unforgettable music? The establishment of what must be done in the game itself? The setting being built up? Or the creation of unease towards the viewer? How about a combination of all of them?
Ladies and gentlemen we have a winner: May I introduce Moonstone. A game from the Commodore Amiga that never went any further. Maybe it was the blood and gore that predated the sensation caused by Mortal Kombat. Maybe it was made in a place that wasn't the US or Japan. Or maybe the game wasn't that remarkable. Whatever: The intro itself was enough to make the game. Indeed, I remember being twelve years old and thinking this was actually quite a freaky intro - In fact at the time, I never thought it possible that someone was actually doing this type of thing. Moonstone is a game that has a sense of dread lurking throughout and this intro encapsulates it perfectly. Throw in a perfect mix of graphics, unsettling music (again provided by Richard Joseph)and impending doom and you've got a winner.
So many memorable moments, I don't know where to start: the music that comes creeping in, the pan down from the moon to the forest floor, the sudden clash of multiple drums, the druid's chanting, the knight's hand moving with nervousness and the concluding piece of text where the target in spelled in a single, capitalized word. It's amazing to think the developers accomplished so much with such, by today's standards, limited hardware. I don't know how many times I've seen this intro but it still works everytime.
I recall the first time I played Moonstone: I was blown away by the intro but never got any further due to my A1200 frowning upon A500 technology. It was only many years later that I managed to play the game but, with high expectations brought by the intro, I came away disappointed. Still, at least there's always the above video.....
So that's my list of best 16-bit intros - artifacts from an era where people know what they wanted to get across and did it using the tools at their disposal.
So what I do think of modern game intros? Not much I'm afraid: If the serial Unskippable is anything to go by, they just keep growing increasingly ridiculous: It's all about the spectacle, where generating gamer interest is through flashy graphics and creating confusion - interest that ultimately leads to mockery.
Some people got it right the first time - now it's a matter of time before we suddenly remember how it's done properly.
Not for me though: The best intros for me came from the 16-bit era: 1990-1995. You know, a time when games knew they were games as opposed to movies. A time when developers embraced their limitations and acted smart in order to get their point across. You may bitch about me being old but for me, intros of the 16-bit era offered more atmosphere, more grabbing of the attention and more establishment of drama than many of their more recent contemporaries.
So for today, I present my list of the 10 best intros of the 16-bit era. These may be old games but they are memorable for a reason: They all worked in some way that they managed to grab my attention and urged me to take up the game controller in hand.
So here we go:
10 - Shining Force 2 (Megadrive)
And the list commences with a burglary that goes horribly wrong.
The key purpose of an introductory sequence in any game is to set up a setting and introduce both important characters and key elements. And Shining Force 2 pulls this off with flair: some key characters are established (not least of which Slade), drama and a sense of quest are both set up and a general mood of spookiness is maintained throughout - in the form of the lightening flashes, the weird music and the eventual appearance of the demonic figure. Indeed, the strongest element at work here is the suspense and the gradual sense of approaching calamity.
In this list, this introduction is the longest - and could very well be the longest introduction ever of the 16-bit era. It may seem nothing special to someone from the current area where ultra-long introductory sequences are commonplace but less has been said in eight minutes. In Shining Force 2, we see something so simple that eventually triggers a massive adventure. Every quest has to start somewhere.....
9 - Darkstalkers (Arcade)
Erm..... Morrigan.....
Seriously though, Attract Modes are integral to Arcade games: You need a decent intro to make yourself stand out from the other arcades alongside and make sure it is the gamer's money going into you - not the others. So what does Darkstalkers do? Offer up a topless chick. Well, as they say, sex does indeed sell: One can only how many people would've been sold over seeing Morrigan's curves.
Other than that, there are some nuggets of interest that maintain attention throughout the intro: I like the title appearing over the thunder effects, the panning shot of the genuine freak-show of fighters, the title's eventual appearance with the descending text, the movements of Morrigan's gaze and, of course, the silhouetted Dimitri.
So in the end, this intro won me over with some rather subtle use of imagery. And Morrigan.
8 - Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (TurboGraphix)
The Castlevania games have a reputation for building a degree of spookiness onto the player - you are, after all, traversing through a haunted castle so anything less simply would not have done at all. And the intro to Rondo of Blood establishes this spookiness right from the word go: We see a bunch of knights sacrificing a maiden which subsequently resurrects Dracula. I downloaded Rondo of Blood for the Virtual Console and I was surprised to see such a macabre intro - I never knew one such existed in the 16-bit era.
Indeed, a sense of unease is established with the toiling bell and the narration making it clear that people are rejecting peace and prosperity in favor of chaos - even to a point of going to an effort to end the peaceful age.
Of course, as made clear in the translated video above, the translation is peculiar and the German narration sounds ridiculous in it's sternness. But in the terms of spookiness, unease, drama and general macabre, you can't go past this.
7 - Chaos Engine (Amiga)
Sometimes, simplicity works best. Through text and minimal imagery, this intro introduces the characters who make up the game: Thus we meet a monster and learn just how big a threat it poses. We also meet six gun-totting mercenaries, all geared up to take on the titular baddie. And...that's pretty much it.
The reason why this intro works is that it establishes the six selectable with a portrait and passage of text. And within the confines of these two elements, the mercenaries certainly show plenty of character - we may not be presented with much more in the way of information about these dudes but what there is, is indeed enough. Perhaps maybe modern game developers should take note? Indeed, I for one would like to see how these six mercenaries would last in a current-generation game where fully-realised scripts and voice acting are the norm....
So yes, I like this intro for the way it introduces it's cast - the accompanying music, provided by the late great Richard Joseph, is a treat too.
6 - Jungle Strike (Megadrive)
Intros need to establish a sense of drama in order to grab the player's attention and to provide them with a sense of purpose for the action ahead. And this is shining example of that principle.
Two dudes blow up an island in the Pacific and immediately afterwards state their intent for revenge on the US: one for his father's death and the other for interference on their drug trading. Thus we meet the bad guys and learn their motivations - who are, of course, pissed off enough to use nuclear weapons upon Uncle Sam. Further drama is established through then cutting to a news broadcast and finally settling on the player character swinging into action. Thus, we see a chain of events which explains everything - all held together with some great music which furthers the sense of urgency. I however like the imagery which are made to resemble that of a comic book. I also like the laid-back attitude of the player character responding to things as they unfold before him.
See? This is how it's done: In a few short minutes we meet the bad guys, we see what they are capable of, we see what has inspired them to do what they are doing, we see the effects and then we meet the player character and see just what type of character he is. No in medias res, no unnecessary padding, no complexity and nothing coming all out at once. See? Simplicity works for a reason!
5 - Alien vs Predator (Arcade)
Again, an arcade game providing an attract sequence that demands attention - and again, provided by Capcom no less. Immediately, the first thing that grabs attention is the music: A theme that suggests the mood of the game without a single image: Impending doom, invasion from an unstoppable foe and unexpected help from what could be the lesser of two evils. Indeed, I remember being a kid and hanging around the cabinet just for the music itself.
The images also work great: I like the changes of perspective going from lunar orbit, to a computer screen before ending to a battlefield. I also like seeing the hordes of Aliens, the sense that the two marines are the only opposition left standing and the sudden arrival of the Predators.
Indeed, what makes this intro work is the drama of encountering an unstoppable foe who outnumbers you a hundred times over and, generally, being part of a battlefield where the main combatants are two intruders to your planet leaving you, the human cyborgs, caught in the middle. In fact the use of the sentence 'A Living Hell' on it's own, says a lot.
And the fact that I was willing to use so much coinage on this game in my teen years suggests the mission of the attract mode, a well and truly successful one.
4 - Super Metroid (SNES)
Whilst the pre-game set up of Super Metroid with Samus' narration is an impressive sequence by itself, the part I will forever remember is the title screen. In such a short space of time, we see three corpses - one clearly being a child - and the Metroid linked up to a machine, being the only light source in an otherwise darkened room. As a result, a sense of drama is established in the most subtle of ways: we the audience are left wondering who are (or were) these people? What happened to them? What is the Metroid doing there? Throw in some extremely creepy music and we have a degree of interest triggered within the player and just what awaits them ahead. Its a triumph of subtlety - and the best bit of all is the pay off: In the first location, Samus encounters the machine but this time, the Metroid is missing.
Super Metroid may be best remembered as a game of subtle moments and a sense of unease - but the most memorable moment of all is when all of these are established masterfully at the very beginning. No wonder many modern game developers keep looking to Super Metroid for inspiration.
3 - Final Fantasy 6 (SNES)
The first five Final Fantasy games (hurrah for alliteration!) had a deceptive undercurrent: It all looked bright and cheerful ate first glance but underneath there lurked some sinister elements: Somber musical pieces, as many sad endings as happy endings and permanent deaths of party characters. Thus, the sixth Final Fantasy immediately announces it's intentions from the start: Through a dramatic organ and a drab colour palette, it becomes clear that the seriousness has come to the front and the colourful back-drops of the past have been placed aside. It is interesting how such a change in mood can be pulled off so well - indeed, one can only wonder the sense of surprise on one who'd been weened on FF4. Indeed, seeing as FF is a game series that provides variations on a theme, when they do something completely different it is worth sitting up and taking notice.
And that's not the only FF convention turned on it's head: In the expository text that follows, we see magic, one of the FF hallmarks, has been discarded and technology has taken it's place. Further drama is established with certain people wanting recover the forgotten art of magic and the potential threat of repeating a previous calamity. No doubt about it, FF6 certainly adds a lot of conflict right off the bat.
However, the most memorable aspect is the credits sequence, where we see a trio of mechs advancing through the snow, accompanied by a haunting rendition of Terra's theme. This is indeed, one of most memorable images of the 16-bit era and, I for one, certainly had it burned into my mind the first time I saw it. I guess it must be one of those videos where everything clicks together to produce a solid whole - I can't really describe why it's so memorable: I guess it's one of those perfect moments that everyone has to see it for themselves.
All in all, the march sequence is truly a shining example of how music and imagery can join forces to produce something that could only be described as unforgettable.
2 - Terranigma (SNES)
Whilst the US got Chrono Trigger, the UK, Europe and Australia had to settle for Terranigma. A forgotten gem yes but what an introductory sequence! In terms of presentation, this one leaps ahead of the rest. It utilizes some stunning graphics and a great choice of music, ranging from the heartbeat at the beginning to the restrained music throughout. Everything is handled in a subtle manner (an alien concept to many JRPGs) and the effort gone into it shows. The text is also compelling describing a planet from birth and the trials and tribulations of the people on it, accompanied by the brilliant use of time passing on a pocket watch. Also of particular interest is the use of Biblical motifs - which of course leads to my favourite moment: The watch ticks to twelve o'clock, the hands fall off and a numbers shift to make way for a Thirteenth hour.
Some say JRPG's are all bombast and lack subtlety but then they decide to do things differently, it succeeds with flying colours.
Terranigma may be disregarded as some to be a poor cousin to Chrono Trigger - but it sure has a lot going for it with it's use of history, it's glorious music and it's ideas. All of these are brought together to bring the finest introduction ever on the SNES.
And my favourite intro of the 16-bit era is....
1 - Moonstone (Amiga)
So what makes a memorable intro? Awesome visuals? Unforgettable music? The establishment of what must be done in the game itself? The setting being built up? Or the creation of unease towards the viewer? How about a combination of all of them?
Ladies and gentlemen we have a winner: May I introduce Moonstone. A game from the Commodore Amiga that never went any further. Maybe it was the blood and gore that predated the sensation caused by Mortal Kombat. Maybe it was made in a place that wasn't the US or Japan. Or maybe the game wasn't that remarkable. Whatever: The intro itself was enough to make the game. Indeed, I remember being twelve years old and thinking this was actually quite a freaky intro - In fact at the time, I never thought it possible that someone was actually doing this type of thing. Moonstone is a game that has a sense of dread lurking throughout and this intro encapsulates it perfectly. Throw in a perfect mix of graphics, unsettling music (again provided by Richard Joseph)and impending doom and you've got a winner.
So many memorable moments, I don't know where to start: the music that comes creeping in, the pan down from the moon to the forest floor, the sudden clash of multiple drums, the druid's chanting, the knight's hand moving with nervousness and the concluding piece of text where the target in spelled in a single, capitalized word. It's amazing to think the developers accomplished so much with such, by today's standards, limited hardware. I don't know how many times I've seen this intro but it still works everytime.
I recall the first time I played Moonstone: I was blown away by the intro but never got any further due to my A1200 frowning upon A500 technology. It was only many years later that I managed to play the game but, with high expectations brought by the intro, I came away disappointed. Still, at least there's always the above video.....
So that's my list of best 16-bit intros - artifacts from an era where people know what they wanted to get across and did it using the tools at their disposal.
So what I do think of modern game intros? Not much I'm afraid: If the serial Unskippable is anything to go by, they just keep growing increasingly ridiculous: It's all about the spectacle, where generating gamer interest is through flashy graphics and creating confusion - interest that ultimately leads to mockery.
Some people got it right the first time - now it's a matter of time before we suddenly remember how it's done properly.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Ogre Kingdom
I live in Australia - a country that apparently doesn't matter. Thus, when the US gets Chrono Trigger, we instead get Terranigma. And when Final Fantasy Tactics comes the the PS1 and the PS3, we get snubbed. Thus in order to fill a hole, one has to look elsewhere.
Thus I've been playing Ogre Battle 64 recently. It may not be the first SRPG I've played (Shining Force 2 instead has that distinction) but it certainly is a lot of fun. I have a liking for RPGs and Strategic games so a hybrid is a welcome one to say the least. I mean what have you got? Sure there's Shining Force 2 and even Chronicle of the Sword (Urghh!) from Soul Calibur 3. Still at least what little there is, is of very high quality.
Initial impressions were crummy with the controls and menu systems taking some getting used to (I've played RPGs that are easier to get into than this!) but once you get the hang of it, it is actually heaps of fun. Indeed, it is interesting to see the fingerprints of Ogre Battle 64 on the afore-mentioned Chronicles of the Sword.
All in all, Ogre Battle 64 is lot's of fun and I look forward to playing more of it.
Thus I've been playing Ogre Battle 64 recently. It may not be the first SRPG I've played (Shining Force 2 instead has that distinction) but it certainly is a lot of fun. I have a liking for RPGs and Strategic games so a hybrid is a welcome one to say the least. I mean what have you got? Sure there's Shining Force 2 and even Chronicle of the Sword (Urghh!) from Soul Calibur 3. Still at least what little there is, is of very high quality.
Initial impressions were crummy with the controls and menu systems taking some getting used to (I've played RPGs that are easier to get into than this!) but once you get the hang of it, it is actually heaps of fun. Indeed, it is interesting to see the fingerprints of Ogre Battle 64 on the afore-mentioned Chronicles of the Sword.
All in all, Ogre Battle 64 is lot's of fun and I look forward to playing more of it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)