#especially on xbox 360 (compared to xbox one)

[lulu2992]

Thank you for humoring all my asks about Collapse and Faith! When I said it was sad, I was more thinking of how it's sad they were having to resort to the bare minimum (likely under heavy crunch) to write scripts for 3 DLCs at once and the possibilities of what they could have done with more time and resources. Now back to Faith, I can understand the 'feminine presence' argument, though I still feel he ultimately viewed Rachel at least as more of a daughter for a variety of reasons. 1/?

My issue, I guess, lies more with the idea that Joseph was trying to outright replicate his late wife using the Faith role (and all the creepiness that would come with that). Not simply trying to bring a positive feminine presence to the family, but specifically viewing Faith as a way of 'getting his wife back', so to speak. Like I tried to take a neutral view to at least entertain the idea, but it just ultimately doesn't match up with my views of what we saw in FC5. 2/2

Oh yes, I agree and think it was sad for the reasons you mention too! Aside from the problems with the story of its Season Pass, Far Cry 6 also happens to be the glitchiest Far Cry I’ve ever played. Unfortunately, we know the dev team had to work under unusual and quite difficult conditions (from home during a pandemic) so, yes, it’s sad and I feel sorry for them. I really wonder what would have been different if they had been given all the time and resources they needed.

And I agree with you about Faith too. What they did in Collapse matched neither the opinion I had after playing Far Cry 5 and reading interviews nor the information I gathered when I listened to the sound files and asked questions to the narrative director…

[sometipsygnostalgic]

Video game console and case design

Today's hyperfixation is on the PLAYSTATION 5. Because I want one, but I really shouldn't buy one, so I am just looking up everything to do with games consoles and burning my brain out.

I used to be a proper xbox player, until I got my PC, then I never really touched by xbox again. I got a PS4 to play Persona 5 and since then it's been a blu ray player for my Adventure Time boxset, not much else. But the current gen - PS5, Series X - is arguably more powerful than my gaming PC, and I still have a lot of friends stuck on PS5, so I am considering investing in a unit.

Anyway is it me or did they really shit the bed with design in this generation?

Look at these chunky fuckers! They do not fit smoothly under your television at all. There is no detail or decoration breaking up their unnecessarily large faces, which makes them look bland and ugly. They look like they're made of cheap plastic, with the two controllers being the highest quality thing about them. I can attest the xbox controller is unbeatable, but playstation really made their shot this generation. A shame I can never get used to the dualshock joystick positioning.

The Series S and the PS5 Slim are almost NO improvement on the base designs.

For some reason they made the Series S look like a speaker???

The new PS5 slim FINALLY has a line across that massive faceplate, but the half matte half glossed finish is not doing it any favours. I think it would've looked much better if, for example, the matte and gloss plates were different colours. Like black and white! It also has an even MORE out of place disc drive, which I think is part of Sony's agenda to go digital only, and the two tiny "feet" for its horizontal positioning are pathetic! Personally I like this more than the original but not significantly, disappointing since I was really looking forward to it.

I want you to compare these nasties to the previous generation - the PS4 and the XBOX One.

....Now, what's hilarious about this image is the consoles look ALMOST IDENTICAL from this angle. And, I guess, that would be why Sony and Microsoft decided to make such a departure with the space heater PS5 and the fridge Series X.

But they both look very premium and advanced, and they fit very nicely in your living room.

The companies tried to look a bit more distinguished in their followup versions in the previous gen too. The white PS4 Pro looks a lot closer to PS5 with its quirkiness, but without the atrocious shiny plastic. Sony tended to add or remove a layer whenever they altered the PS4, I wonder what they would look like all stacked on top of each other.

It's not just the games console designs that suffer - Look at the game cases! I know that the companies want to incentivise you to go digital, but Xbox Series X cases are just awful.

So if you're confused - You should be!!! Microsoft have two kinds of case for the Series X. One of them is the EXACT SAME CASE as Xbox One, but with Series X printed on the front. The second newer version foregoes the sexy Xbox logo entirely and just has Xbox Series X printed in some default font. Awful awful awful.

Playstation is doing better, but barely.

They are reusing PS4 cases with a different print on them. It doesn't look as horrible as Xbox's, and it at least has a different colour on the logo, but damn, the jump between PS3/360 and PS4/One was really impressive, and now they've stopped bothering because they want everyone to go digital. If your game cases look like shit, why bother with physical?

I want to contrast with physical media kings Nintendo, who did an outstanding job in 2017 with designing the case for the Nintendo Switch.

These bad boys are mine. They're super thin, easy to stack, decent quality, and F U N. The red colour pallette makes them pop out. You can see one from across the store and go, "damn, that's a Nintendo Switch game".

I just want a thousand of them.

I would say a disadvantage, especially compared to the Gamecube games next to them, and even compared to 3ds, is that you can't tell what game you're looking at without going right up to them. These cases are TOO uniform, and really tiny, so i have to triple check I am picking up Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and not Tony Hawk Pro Skater. Meanwhile you can tell exactly what Gamecube games I have by colour pallette alone. Like, you can instantly tell that's Windwaker.

The switch in general is a very fun looking games console, much nicer looking than its predecessor the Wii U, though I'm not sure how I feel about the white of the OLED. But every time I see a Switch Lite in stores, even though I know it's worse than my Switch, I want to buy one. It just looks so FUUUUUN.

And finally a special mention to the 3DS and its games case. The console itself was pretty stylish, if... rudimentary for its release period, but the games cases are high quality and almost make me want to have 3ds games just so I can have the cases.

[roboticromantic]

I was inspired to do my own pinata assignments for some of my f/os after seeing @bugsband do so! I fell in love with VP as a little kid when I could only play the original demo version of it on the Xbox 360 arcade disc and it only grew when I finally got an actual copy of the game as a gift. A few years ago I bought my own xbox and got copies of both the original AND trouble in paradise for myself and while I def don’t play it as much as I want to, it’s still a favorite of mine 💛

Some of these are definitely based just on Vibes than anything else so some might not be as accurate lol but this was still fun. Under the cut because I typed too much-

This section I did first because they definitely seem the most accurate and understandable lol maybe kinda on the nose for some but that’s what makes it fun!

Present Mic (MHA) - Candary

Aizawa (MHA) - Crowla

Roman Torchwick (RWBY) - Pretztail

Hypnos (Hades) - Goobaa

Lysandre (Pokémon) - Roario

Kiryu (Yakuza) - Draganache

Present Mic and Aizawa are pretty self explanatory, especially if you compare the candary to how Mic looks in the flashbacks to when they were in High School lol. Aizawa probably wishes he was a kittyfloss but the crowla was calling his name. The crowla’s ability to distract Dastardos and save your piñatas from him temporarily feels fitting too. 

Roman being a pretztail is also self explanatory, the pretztail is well known for being sneaky and crafty and those are two things Roman does very well as a thief. 

Hypnos is a goobaa because. Sheep. Counting sheep. Yeah? Not to mention “the Goobaa is famous for its accommodating nature and dreams of world peace”.

Lysandre is literally lion themed. He has a lion. He is a lion. Thus, Roario. Not much more explanation needed.

Kiryu is the Dragon of Dojima. He is also a pain in the ass. Leaving it at that.

This section is a little less on the nose, but I still like the assignments anyways! Prismo was a toughie because I really wanted to assign him a pink pinata but I didn’t think many of them actually fit, except for maybe the pink flutterscotch.

Mordin Solus (Mass Effect) - Sweetle

Nihlus Kryik (Mass Effect) - Sour S’morepion

Prismo (Adventure Time) - Parrybo or Pink Flutterscotch

Mordin is a sweetle because they look similar 🥰 I also really wanted to include him since I was including Nihlus. Fun fact: I have personal beef with sweetles. The tutorial stuff drives me insane and I hate having to catch one. Same thing with the bispotti. Fuck those guys.

Nihlus obviously matches the sour s’morepion in terms of aesthetics, the hard plating of the scorpion and the deep red color, but Nihlus also kinda sucks (Which I say with as much love as I can physically give). These two belong together.

Prismo doesn’t actually really match the parrybo much but idk. There’s just something about that little dude that calls out to me. Pink Flutterscotch might be a better match because it’s pink and Prismo also makes me think of kisses. Anyways who said that-

And, because I’m legally obligated to do so. The Viva Pinata self ships themselves!

Leafos - Syrupent

Miss Petula - Tigermisu

Langston - Lickatoad

I should note that Petula is specifically a familial ship, in case people don’t feel like looking at my carrd, and Langston is more of a little side/not serious ship for me (I have a human design for him that I think is super cute though) BUT. It was too funny to pass up, okay?

Langston is obvious for obvious reasons, yeah. But I put tigermisu instead of a kittyfloss for Petula because gdi that poor girl deserves some respect and by god is she going to get it!!! She’s not a kitten, she’s a big ass cat.

And I say Leafos is a syrupent as nicely as I can even though it kinda sounds like an insult. I prommy it isn’t I love her 💚 but she can be a little bit of a snake 💚 love u girl 💚

Anyways yeah!! Pinatas!!! You should ask me about my favorite piñatas.

[blazehedgehog]

People say the Gap between 4th Generaton and 5th of video games was huge and I agree but the gap between Gen 5 and 6 was just as huge like The jump from Ocarina of Time to Twilight Princess in one generations is crazy even the early 6th gen games like Sonic adventure looked 100x better than 99% of 5th gen games especially the textures

I mean...

1993 (mid-to-late SNES/Genesis)

1998 (mid-to-late PS1/N64/Saturn)

2003 (mid-to-late PS2/Xbox/GC)

2008 (mid-to-late 360/PS3)

2016 (mid-to-late PS4/Xbone)

2024 (mid PS5/Xbox SX)

I feel like depending on the game, even going from PS2 to PS3 doesn't feel as big as PS1 to PS2.

But that's the thing, I guess. It REALLY depends on the game and the context. Like you could compare...

and...

And there's not much difference there.

Honestly, graphics don't entirely matter as much as good art direction does and what the game mechanics underneath are trying to achieve.

Twilight Princess is impressive for how much bigger Hyrule is than it could be on the Nintendo 64. It's actually kind of too big in a sense, because there's a lot of empty space that isn't very interesting to traverse.

And in that sense, I think about how like... GTA5 ran on the Xbox 360, you know? Or Tears of the Kingdom. It's fair to say the Switch is roughly equivalent to the same hardware generation as the 360 and PS3, and look at how insane and robust its physics system is.

That's where it starts to feel like maybe we're scratching the limits of what is possible. Where too much more beyond that starts to feel like "what's the point?"

[bloodanddiscoballs]

I have a somewhat embarrassing question. What is TF2.

It's not embarrassing at all! TF2 stands for Team Fortress 2, a game that was released on October 10th, 2007, by the game studio Valve. It is a first-person shooter where you pick to play as 1 of 9 mercenaries, each with their own unique skills that are separated into three separate classes:

Offense: Scout, Pyro, Soldier

Defense: Engieneer, Demoman, Heavy Weapons Guy

Support: Medic, Sniper, Spy

The game is set up so you are either on team RED or team BLU, each team holding 9 players, and you play through matches and game modes such capturing points by stealing the enemy intelligence (a physical briefcase you pick up and run with) or capturing control points and battling to defend those. There are variations of these as well as some other game modes you can choose from. It's free to play and on Steam for both Windows and Mac users. (though it was originally offered on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3).

If you ever played Overwatch, you already have an idea of how the game is set up for you, but in my opinion, TF2 is MUCH more fun.

If you want the "lore" behind the game and the characters, you should definitely check out their website. They have write ups on each character which also shows you who you might be interested in playing, as well as comics, the short films they've put out (including fan made ones for the Saxxy Awards), full descriptions of the major updates, music, and official art. You've got a beautiful 15yrs to look at that is just oozing love.

What has kept people coming back to this game for so long is in the art, the humor, and the Community Workshop - a place where you as a fan can upload your own creations for customization for the characters. TF2 is affectionately nicknamed The Hat Simulation Game/Hat Dress Up Game cause that's a secondary part of it. While you can earn and pick up different weapons for your characters, you can also unbox crates that have cosmetics inside to make your characters look fun. Things like a hot dog hat or a banana hat or reindeer antlers, all of which only serve to make your guys look goofy and fun. There's also chest pieces and the occasional shoes or little shoulder pets. A LOT of these are made by fans who then submit them to be voted on by all players, and if they get accepted into the game, you'll have a chance of unboxing them. There are taunts as well, such as conga dancing or high fives or rock paper scissors that allow you to interact with other players regardless of the team. There are even many of the maps that you play that have been made by people in the community, making TF2 something that feels like something to be interacted with as well as to be played.

While the ultimate goal of each game in TF2 is to kill the opponents and to win points, most of the games you'll end up playing include some air of messing around. There are lots of times when matches will take much longer than they need to because someone started dancing and now half the players are dancing with each other. The map 2Fort is notorious for this, and I'd say it's about 70/40 of screwing around to actually capturing intelligence. I can honestly say that TF2 is THE game to always have me laughing and enjoying myself, especially compared to other games with similar setups. It never takes itself too seriously, though if you'd like to play competitive, there is an option for that. More often than not, the palyers are fun people, and even if you run into the occasional asshole, you can just drop out of that match and find a new one pretty quickly.

TF2 has lasted as long as it has because it is, in its bones, all in good fun. It takes the whole 60s-70s era dangerous mercenaries and spies in a secret organization and cranks up the ridiculousness of that to an 11. Each of the characters are from different parts of the world, but they're all such over-the-top representations of their cultures that it becomes something a lot like a Mel Brooks-esque setup. Shakespearicles was the strongest writer who ever lived and invented the two-story building, but everyone had to use rocket launchers to get up to the second level until Abraham Lincoln invented stairs 100yrs later. Every Halloween, you have to battle Soldier's old roommate who is a powerful wizard because Soldier turned his old castle into a raccoon sanctuary. All Australians are ripped as shit, have amazing mustaches, and Australia-shaped chest hair.

PLAY TEAM FORTRESS 2

[lapinaraoflimbo]

One of the things about the Wii/Xbox 360/PS3 being retro consoles is that they are tangibly different from consoles like the NES, SNES, PS1, Saturn, N64 and (to some extent) the Gamecube/Xbox original/PS2. Which is that there was such a powerful force of acceleration when those early consoles were being made they would become obsolete in a few years. The SNES was a technological utopia compared to the NES and it was capable of things that one could barely dream of on an NES. NES games were not immediately made to be retro, but there was a significant gap between games made a year before the NES came out and a year after the NES came out.

And I think that specific generation. The SNES era is one of the last turning points of technology. They weren't capable of 3D, at least not in the way we understand it today, but when it came to 2D games they were fairly close to modern standards of quality. RPGs on the SNES are incredibly easy to go back to and feel modern in a way that NES RPGs do not. Modern RPGmaker games and stuff like Undertale are games that often could be remade to play on the SNES. There's not a significant difference in quality between Earthbound and Undertale, at least not in the same way there's a difference in quality between Mother 1 and those two games.

And of course, all of that isn't going into arcade games and atari games and the 2 bits and 4 bit and 8 bit systems. "Retro" was a really important signifier in games for a long time because it implied a level of technology the average player would not be used to. Pacman is a "retro" game in part because it was made many decades ago, but also because it has graphics and gameplay that are very simple compared to what we expect out of games today (and even in the 90s it was retro for those reasons.)

Now comes in the N64, PS1, and Sega Saturn. All of the sudden we have one of the last gigantic leaps of technological development: true 3D. But the implementation of 3D was not immediate and a lot of these early 3D games show that. There were not dual analog sticks on these systems and so any shooter game would not use the controls we use today. Cameras were awkward to control through the use of C-buttons or a D-pad. It took a lot of attempts to really figure out how to iron out the massive amount of complications that came with 3D and so a lot of these early games do stand out as retro and maintain that as a signifier for their level of technology.

But come around to the next generation and we are at a point close to modern tech. Sure, there were only SD graphics at the time and some limitations when it came to rendering but aside from graphics game were largely as technologically competent as what we have today. Final Fantasy 7 through 10, GTA III and San Andreas, Resident evil 4, Halo, Star Wars KotOR, Counter Strike original, Morrowind, Mario sunshine, Super Smash Bros Melee, Metroid Prime, Paper Mario TTYD...

These are all incredibly impactful and significant games that are very easy to get into today. The graphics on a lot of these has not aged that poorly, especially when the games themselves were stylized and modeled/textured properly. There is nothing about going back to these old games that actually warrants a technological distinction between modern games and even comparing some of the games from this era to modern ones there's debate over which has a better graphical quality. (cough cough pokemon)

Going one step further than this and the lines blur even further. Is the last of us a "retro" game for being 10 years old? Is grand theft auto 5 a "retro" game. Is minecraft a "retro" game. Certainly these are all old games at this point, many of them being 10+ years old. But retro was rarely a term that was synonymous with old. It was a term that meant something used outdated technology. Minecraft is a modern game. GTA 5 still feels like a modern game. Skyrim is still a modern game insomuch as it's being marketed and sold as one. Advancements to technology are not as noticeable now and many people are willing to give up 4K graphics and lighting shaders when they play video games. GTA 5 doesn't need to have the "retro" label placed on it because there's nothing about it that is hard for a modern gamer to get into. If you had a kid who has only played PS6 and told them to play GTA5 on the PS3 they're going to have an easy time picking things up. The biggest barrier is not going to be technological but instead be one of game design choices and cultural differences.

So "retro" as the term used to be used is likely not going to be updated as quickly as it was. It might take multiple decades for something to truly become retro now. Our technology is already so advanced that more advances don't significantly change what we can do. It's quickly becoming the case with video games that Manpower and resources are much more of a barrier than technology can ever be and there is no more need to be treating games as outdated because a new console comes out.

There's no need for technological improvement in games, and so there's no need for us to treat games like they're becoming retro anymore.

[declanowo]

31 Days of Horror - Day 10 - Slenderman

10/10/23

Day 10 - Slenderman

When I was a child, I was obsessed with creepy pastas. I would sit and watch YouTube videos on them all the time, alongside reading them in my spare time. A weekly ritual for me became sitting and reading a creepypasta on the chairs they have at supermarkets while my parents paid for the shopping. 

Of all the creepypastas I read as a child, I don’t recall ever reading the base story for Slenderman. More so, that has developed more recently, but, Slenderman does still have a large place in my heart. I remember my friends telling me about him at school, sitting terrified for the rest of the day after looking at a few pictures and assuming I would see him on my short walk home. Several nightmares followed, until a love for the character eventually blossomed. Many things influenced me, but two of my biggest memories were playing the game on my Xbox 360 late at night, and watching Marble Hornets, which is maybe one of my favourite series ever. Marble Hornets also has my favourite depiction of the character, there he is referred to as The Operator. I also find all of the information surrounding the creation of Slenderman, and the way the story developed to be deeply interesting, and would recommend anyone who has any interest looking into it. 

Today’s film is the first rewatch of the list, and one of very few. It is also the first day I am watching two films, the second one was spun on the wheel, but when I had the opportunity to watch Slenderman again while at my friends house, I couldn’t push it away. 

Being the second lowest rated horror movie on letterboxd, I was super excited to see this one again - I think I must have watched it when it first came out on dvd, although weirdly I remember it being earlier than that! I sat down and saw it with my brother the first time he was allowed to look after me alone, and I thought it sucked so much, especially after the love I already had for the character. Although, I definitely enjoyed the experience of watching the film, which was also true for this rewatch - it’s a fun film to watch with friends and laugh at.

I have three main problems with this film, although there are plenty more to pick out! Starting with how dreadful this is lighted. Honestly, I think that might be the biggest problem I have with it! I hate horror films that are so dark you can’t actually see what is happening, that isn’t scary, in fact, I find it has the opposite effect! I can’t feel any tension in a scene where I can’t see what anyone is doing - chase sequences and sporadic moments of violence, such as when Hallie is attacked by Katie’s dad have no weight to them, because I can’t see what the characters are doing. One of my favourite shows, Hannibal, has a similar issue, yet there I can at least excuse it, because when I finally can see what I’m meant to be looking at, I am happy - the sets are gorgeous and the kills are even better - yet here even when I can see, there is nothing exciting happening. The film’s interesting visuals are really lacking, sure there are a few noteworthy scenes I’ll discuss later, but ultimately I find the sets to be bland, the world doesn’t feel lived in! I will compare this to The Ring and Ringu again later, but I was thinking here about how much I loved the sets when I watched it, that world felt so real to me, and the characters were improved because of it. Here I felt offered nothing of value when I could see, and it makes our villain a whole lot less scarier when he appears to us as nothing more than a floating head in a pool of darkness. 

That feeds into my next problem! Slenderman himself. The movie kind of just assumes you know who and what Slenderman is, the first scene where he is mentioned shows us some backstory, and mythology towards the character, but not only is none of it interesting, it also feels like it doesn’t matter. But back to the character himself. Slenderman is somehow entirely uninteresting here, we spend the whole film waiting for him to appear, and yet most of these appearances are lacklustre without any real horror to them. Take the first time we see him in person, where Katie stops while walking on the school trip to look across at him. Despite the cliche stormy effects warping the cinematography and sound, all we see is him appear, then both of them disappear. I’m not afraid of him, because his presence doesn’t signify anything - all he does is stand amongst the trees, and by now I have seen the creature so much online, that just showing me his face isn’t scary or unsettling. In order to make the character mean something, he has to act in a scary way, which we never really get throughout the film. In fact, I would argue that Slanderman is one of the least interesting characters of the whole film, I don’t fear him, nor do I enjoy him in the way I do so many other horror villains. He exists within the film, but any suspense is lost by how little he truly does. In fact, it isn’t until the third act that we see any of Slenderman’s effects - before this we see one friend isolate herself and begin acting strangely, and another disappears, but otherwise, Slenderman is just a looming presence. We only see his powers shine through during the final confrontation, by which point I couldn’t be reeled back into liking the depiction of the character no matter what. 

Undoubtedly, the film's biggest influence is The Ring. I don’t think this is an awful thing, in fact, I probably enjoyed the Sadako style video we see that helps summon the titular creature. It is stylistically interesting, and I found the sound design here to be fun too! The bell especially is a lovely detail, it sticks with you throughout, and its chime is one of the best horror moments in the film I would argue. Although I am not entirely opposed to the concept of Slenderman being involved in internet dealings, a cursed video feels almost apt for the era of the internet he was born into. Making Slenderman a creature born from chainmail could be fun, yet the film never does anything interesting with that idea, instead, it is just a simple way to introduce the character and some creepy imagery through the video itself. It copies elements of the ring, without understanding what made that film so special and so scary. And sure, I don’t think everything should be explained to death, but the lack of direction in the lore makes the film feel like it has no idea what it is doing - the corners of the film have no love sewn into them, it feels like it was made solely for the name and money. 

Yet, I had a pretty fun time watching this film! I didn’t like the film itself, but also, I didn’t hate it! It’s dumb and lacks much personality, style or love, but it is just dumb enough to be a fun watch in a group! I also think some things are pretty good in this film! For one, the acting was much much better than I was expecting, and I did enjoy Joey King’s character Wren! Sure, she wasn’t perfect, things like the sacrifice is interesting, but goes nowhere, but I was having a much better time when she took over the mantle for a while, having one of the more interesting sequences in a library, which was the only time I was excited about a set in the film, even if it felt weirdly academic of a library for the vibe I got off this town. As mentioned before, the video was enjoyable if not a bit out of place in the scheme of the movie, and finally I found the credits to be delightful!

Overall, this is nowhere near my favourite depiction of Slenderman, it’s likely at the bottom. But there is some stuff here I felt had some potential, and a few times I actually had fun too :) 

While watching the film, I found my mind drifting to what I would do if given the chance to make my own Slenderman film. I have a few things I dream of one day writing, the top being a Scooby-Doo movie or show, but another goal is a creepypasta! That felt pointless to mention, but oh well! Anyway, my thoughts on how I would have written this film; I was stumped, I felt like maybe there was no way to make a good film out of Slenderman. Marble Hornets worked so well because of how long it was and the short bursts at which it was uploaded! The games work well because of the atmosphere they build, and slowly feeding you information on the character of Slenderman! So, what would a good Slenderman movie do? I feel like something similar, build a good atmosphere, maybe a teen setting would have worked better if they focused on the whole obsession aspect of the characters. 

Regardless, I think the existence of this film is pretty fun, and would definitely watch any other creepypasta movie that could ever get released! 

At the end of the day, this shitty movie has provided two really fun times for me, so how bad can it really be if it provides a few hours of laughter and fond memories when I think of it. When picturing this movie, I imagine the fun times I had watching it, and how stupid the ending is where Slenderman video calls someone. 

3/10

[photog-crafty]

If this Hakuchou could tell stories, they would fill a library. This motorcycle was my flesh and blood for years. I had other bikes for stunting, yes, but this one was my daily driver as nothing could match its speed. My friends even raced me with helicopters, following the same courses Forza Horizon style, and it was neck-and-neck every time. What really made the Hakuchou so engaging was that it lived and died by its wheelie. Unlike a car that merely had a gas pedal, the Hakuchou made use of an intricacy of the game engine to go much faster by popping a wheelie, making it almost like a turbo boost. Learning how to read traffic and keep that boost active as much as possible was a game unto itself, which made seeing those 170+ MPH numbers on the speed challenge leaderboards all the more satisfying.

The armless era was a formulative time in my GTA character's career, and I earned a bit of infamy among our crew for rocking the gimmick so hard. It was only proper that I had a car to represent it. This Coquette Classic used a glitch that made the entire rear half of the car completely invisible, aside from the exhaust pipes and taillights, making it the perfect candidate to match the invisible arms meme. it always got smiles, chuckles, and headscratches whenever it showed up at the downtown car meets.

This Fugitive here was my very first car when I began playing GTA on the PC. I still love it to this day. It may not be flashy or conventionally appealing, but loud and gruff V8 sedans are my weakness. Eight years later, she's still shining and purring just like she did when I picked her up off the streets.

The first car I ever bought in GTA, all the way back on Xbox 360 in October of 2013, was a Voltic. The car itself was lost to bugs in the transfer process, but its spirit lives on through this second model. I didn't drive it often after migrating to PC, but the hours upon hours spent racing to earn the money to buy the original will always stick with me.

In a similar vein, this Ruiner symbolizes the first car I ever owned in GTA. The Ruiner was my main car in GTA IV, so when I saw it in GTA V and Online, I flew right back to my old baby. This one was added to the collection shortly after I started playing on PC and it has all the mods I missed out on on 360, like the crazy Shakotan exhausts and exposed intercooler. It's fun for me to compare it to the other Ruiners in my collection and see how much my tastes have changed.

Poetically, my GTA career was bookended by Ruiners. One of the vehicles that released as things were winding down was the Ruiner ZZ-8, and I was delighted to see it because I've got an equally soft spot for fourth-gen F-bodies. The ZZ-8 leaned a little closer to the Firebird with its snout and beehive taillights, but it wasn't too hard to doll it up to resemble a Camaro with the '97-'98 factory Bright Purple Metallic paint. As long as I don't have to change the spark plugs myself, I'm happy.

Normally I don't really dig the small and cute cars, but the modern Fiat 500s are charming to me, especially with their take on dog dish wheels. I tried to customize this Brioso R/A to look like one, but those unremovable carbon skirts put the kibosh on that idea. You win some, you lose some.

The Schafter V12 was already an amazing car, but they released an armored version at the same time with almost identical performance. I couldn't help buying both and giving the armored one a more subdued look to contrast the regular version's bold white. It wasn't quite as stable as the Baller, but the extra protection nonetheless came in handy more than once.

Since the game never had a '72 Riviera, I had to cope with a '65 in the form of the Buccaneer. This one has an unpurchaseable worn paint finish with a crew color glitched into one of the fields in order to keep the classic look while resembling some Rivieras I've seen photos of.

The Rocoto is one of those unassuming street cars I had to pounce on once I knew what it was based on. Volkswagens are mostly alien to me, but their cars from the 2000s with luxuriously oversized engines like the Phaeton W12 and the Passat W8 make me absolutely giddy, and the Rocoto is related to the first-gen Touareg which had the option for a V10 turbodiesel. It wasn't quite as fast or as torque-loaded as its VW analog, but it was close enough to tick the boxes for my obsession.

[alecbicheno]

Blog post 7 - Is realism worth the effort?

There are two factors to consider when discussing realism within videogames, the graphics, and the gameplay. Both of these have a significant impact on the overall quality and reception of the game which I am going to break down.

Different art styles

There are different kinds of graphics you see in games. There is the stylised kind which can be broken down into a few different types such as Cel- shading which can be seen in games like Borderlands (2009) and its sequels, giving a unique look to the characters and environment, or the exaggerated kind which you can find in games like Sea of Thieves (2018) where lots of aspects of the game look exaggerated. Then there is realism, which is what lots of AAA game studios strive for. An example of this would be Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023) and the previous instalments of the franchise, which aim to have realistic graphics with each new instalment.

Is realism worth it?

There are generally two opinions when it comes to graphics, the first is that graphics should be as realistic as possible, and the other thinks that graphics are overrated. I’m of the latter opinion.

Good graphics are much easier to achieve nowadays, so having a good-looking game isn’t as much of an achievement as it used to be. So, there’s no need to waste time and effort on creating amazing graphics and instead the resources should be spent on crafting good gameplay, narratives, characters, etc.

Furthermore, it’s worth noting as technology evolves all the effort put into creating these incredible graphics could be obsolete by next year, as the constant hunger for detail will inevitably lead to better ways of making said graphics.

More to games than realism

It’s also important to consider the level of realism in the gameplay and how much it actually contributes to the overall experience. For example, Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018) was criticised for being too realistic, which I can attest to. There were many mundane tasks to complete such as cleaning guns to maintain them or feeding your horse to keep it in good health, as well as quality of life issues such as having to go to your horse to change weapons. This is essentially having realistic gameplay for the sake of it, instead of it contributing to the overall experience. It takes away from the fun of the gameplay by having to do these monotonous tasks, especially when we usually play games to relax, but instead get agitated by the very thing we are trying to relax by doing.

However, when we compare this to rockstars other game Grand Theft Auto V (2013), realism is out the window. While there is some sense of being grounded in reality, there are some ridiculous stories, weapons and vehicles all for players to enjoy, hence why the game is still played over 10 years later.

My practice

To re iterate, I think that the movie like quality of realism is an unnecessary thing to strive for. It does not need to be prioritized in game development, which allows efforts to be directed at other aspects of game development like the story or gameplay which would take the game further. Simply put good graphics don’t make a good game.

Bibliography

Anon., 2020. How RDR2 Prioritizes Realism At The Expense of Playability. [Online] Available at: https://screenrant.com/red-dead-redemption-2-realism-extreme-boring-controls/ [Accessed 5 December 2023].

Fox, A., 2019. Why Video Games Should Abandon Realistic Graphics. [Online] Available at: https://www.forevergeek.com/why-video-games-should-abandon-realistic-graphics/ [Accessed 5 December 2023].

GEARBOX SOFTWARE. (2009) Borderlands. [DISC]Xbox 360. Novato: 2K

RARE. (2018) Sea of Thieves. [DISC]Xbox One. Redmond: Microsoft Studios

ROCKSTAR GAMES. (2018) Read Dead Redemption 2. [DISC]Xbox One. New York City: Rockstar Games

ROCKSTAR NORTH. (2013) Grand Theft Auto V. [DISC]Xbox 360. New York City: Rockstar Games

SLEDGEHAMMER GAMES. (2023) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. [DISC]Xbox Series X. Santa Monica: Activision

Warner, N., 2021. Sometimes games that are realistic…are worse. [Online] Available at: https://www.destructoid.com/sometimes-realistic-games-are-worse/ [Accessed 5 December 2023].

Zentler, R., 2022. Game On: Video games don’t need to look realistic. [Online] Available at: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/mar/17/game-on-video-games-dont-need-to-look-realistic/ [Accessed 5 December 2023].

[systemdll23]

Make a great video game!

There are many factors to consider when creating a great game. Here are some of the most important things to consider when creating a great game.

Game graphics:

Common misconception is that the best games are built on the best graphics. Even though great graphics are important, they won't make a game great if other factors aren't up to the same standards. It is true that great graphics can give a game an edge over games with lower-quality graphics. This is evident in games like Halo, Myst Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy. These are just a few examples. It is clear that graphics are a key factor in a game's success, but it must be combined with other important factors.

Gameplay:

This is a crucial game design element as it defines the purpose of the game and how the player will interact with the objects and non-playable characters. A game's storyline and gameplay are important, but they don't make it great. These two elements, when combined with stunning graphics, will give a game an advantage over the rest. You can make a game as simple or complex as you like. This is evident when you compare "Tetris" to "Final Fantasy." Both were huge hits and have remained on many people's lists of top games. The Gameplay factor is made up of many aspects. We won't go into detail here but a game designer XBOX 360 Controller Emulator (x64) might consider Storyline, alternate choices, natural physics and player interaction. Again, this factor will not make a game great by itself but it will contribute to a great one when it is combined with other key game design factors.

Game Sound

Game Sound is almost as important in game design as Game Graphics. A game's sound quality can make or break whether it is a good one. This is evident in classic games such as Zelda and Frogger, which are both Atari's earliest games. Most of us can recall an old game whose music we still remember. Some games were annoying, but many were addictive and catchy. Moving forward in gaming history, we find games that heavily rely on the sound experience of games such as Silent Hill and F.E.A.R. If the sound quality was not as high, these games wouldn't be as great as they are today. Another important aspect that makes a game great is sound quality.

Re Playability:

As the game design goals and objectives have evolved over time, this factor has been a major contributor to game design's success. This is illustrated by taking you back in time to the classic Tetris game. This game and others in the category were created so you can play and set a record, then you play again to try and beat that record. You can achieve higher scores, more time in the game, better score, or other types of score increases. The ultimate goal is to beat that score. Later in game history, we saw more advanced Re Playability in game design with the strategy game concept. This allows players to make a decision which then determines the direction of the game. Some of the most popular games in gaming history today are LOTR and Star Wars. These games allow you to replay the levels as a bad person, and you can make different choices each time. It is important to combine this game factor with other factors to create a great game.

Additional Factors

These are just a few of the small things that can make a game great. They may also be combined with other factors. The first is character development. Your opponents will become more difficult as you play the game. It is natural that your opponent's strength increases slowly and you want your character, to be more like them. You may be able to swap out, reconfigure, or upgrade different parts of your character in the better games. This allows players to personalize their characters and make them feel more connected with one another.

The skill level needed to play the game is another consideration when designing a great game. People, especially those who are older and have not grown up with computers, often say they don't like certain games because it has too many buttons or is too complicated. This is an issue that can be experienced at different levels by different players. It should be taken into consideration when designing any game. It is crucial to consider the interface between game and user.

Designers might also want to consider how difficult the interface and the game are to learn. A game like Monopoly has luck as the advantage. If their luck is good, even a child can win. However, a game like Checkers requires strategy and planning. What skills are required to win the game is another important aspect of a great game.

The length of the levels or the game itself is another important aspect to consider when creating a great game. A good game can take quite a while to complete. However, the stages are generally not too far apart. This is where Game Saves come in. Is the game able to save frequently at the user's will or must the player reach a specific location in order to use a Game Save? It is important to know how far and in what order each Game Save is located. It is not fun to spend half an hour working your way through a stage, only to find yourself in a huge battle with the save point at the other end. Your player will be frustrated when they lose in battle and the save game point from the beginning of the level is lost.

This concludes this article about good game design. Originality is a key factor that can make or break your game's success. When they encounter new systems, players get excited. They are curious about whether or not they can master the system and accomplish the game's goal. However, they also wonder if the system is better than other systems available. This will always draw a player. First person shooter games are a good example of opposing systems. These games were viewed from either a third-person or first-person perspective and the player was the main focus. This was the dominant system in shooter games until the advent of Full Spectrum Warrior and Swat. Swat's system is different in that you have several options when it comes to opening doors in the game. You can either open the door yourself or ask your team members to do so. Other techniques, such as breaching and banging, can be used to open the door. This means that you open the door and throw in a bomb before entering the room. Full Spectrum Warrior sees the system changing again. Your four-man team must now move around the area using tactical formations that surround objects. These are two examples of Unique Systems.

[funkyfreshb]

Sonic Adventure 2 review

Original A little backstory: Sonic Adventure DX on the GameCube is one of the games I remember most fondly from my childhood. It had it all: Sonic, Tails, 3D gameplay, hub worlds, action stages, and Game Gear games. As for Sonic Adventure 2, I have seen plenty of gameplay of it but have held off on playing it until this past week (written in June). This review discusses the Xbox 360 version of the game, in which I make comparisons to Sonic Adventure DX, also on the 360.

Gameplay - It's been a while since I played the first Adventure, but from what I can remember, the two games play similar enough that it should't be a problem, and so I'll discuss the playable characters and their objectives. Sonic Adventure 2 has 6 playable characters during story mode, of which there are two variations of each play style. Sonic/Shadow use the typical gameplay you'd expect from a Sonic game, that being a point A to point B affair; Knuckles/Rouge explore their stages by climbing on or through walls to find secrets, just like Knuckles' stages in Adventure; Tails/Eggman has gameplay similar to E-102 from Adventure, where a robot is used to shoot targets. In general the gameplay is similar to 1, and that goes for any quirks that existed, like how hard it can be to control the characters at times, or how they sometimes stray off the scripted path, and these apply to all characters. Each character has upgrades, most of which act as ways to restrict access to certain parts until later. I will go over the character unique ones below. Sonic/Shadow plays almost exactly like how Sonic played in the first Adventure. You can run, roll to go faster, jump, and you can make a homing attack onto various objects by pressing jump again in mid-air. The differences come from the upgrades. There's the light speed dash, which works in a similar fashion to Sonic's upgrades from the original where you press a button and Sonic automatically follows a trail of rings, except you don't have to charge it beforehand. There's also one which similarily to the Drop Dash from later entries works like a ground pound, stopping all side momentum and allowing you to reach the ground quicker (and safer if you're over ground). The only other new thing seems to be the rails, which allow you to go faster easier, all without having to steer. The challenge with these come from their small size and when there are multiple rails. You've go to be precise when landing on them, especially when there is no floor beneath to catch you if you miss. In regards to multiple rails, you can hold the move stick in the direction of a rail you want to go and then jump which should make Sonic jump over to the other rail. It doesn't always work and you more often than not fall to your death when trying. The rails in general are fun but should have had more time spent refining them to work better. Knuckles/Rouge's gameplay is nearly identical to Knuckles' from the first game. You try to find hidden items as you explore a more open area by gliding around in the air and climbing on walls. While you could dig into the ground before, you can now do it from the air from essentially a ground pound. Compared to the first game, this time only one item is tracked at a time, but you can still collect them in any order. This can create situations in which you're standing by an item without knowing, effectively making the search take longer. With the exception of this, it's my favorite type of stage as it's fun to explore a more open area. Lastly, Tails/Eggman's gameplay remind me of E-102 from the first game. You run around shooting things with a mech, and if you hold down the shoot button you can lock onto things, and doing so will launch a homing projectile toward your targets that moves slower than usual. Holding down to lock-on will give you reduced maneuverability, which is already somewhat poor to start. There's an upgrade which allows you to hover, giving you more airtime with the potential to gain some extra height. The stages are long and tedious, making them my least favorite to play. Especially with regards to Tails, whose gameplay in 1 was superb.

Other types of gameplay include kart racing (which works fine for what it is), a multiplayer mode where you can play each character type and compete with your friends in the their respective stage type, and the much revered Chao Garden. In the Chao Garden you raise your Chaos by giving them food and animals, which increase their stats. With increased stats, they have a higher chance of winning the karate and racing tournaments that are available. In these, you watch your Chao compete while all you personally do is give them encouragement when they're down on their luck. You can customize your Chao: Depending on how you raise them they can turn into a Hero, a Dark, or a Netural Chao, and their highest stat will determine what type they evlove into, like a runner or a swimmer. There are also accessories you can purchase and give to your Chao to make them stand out a bit more, and each animal turn the Chao's body parts into ones resembling them. I personally don't care about the Chao Garden, it's too much investment for very little reward, and the gameplay being nearly non-existant here doesn't help.

Story - I didn't catch all of the story, but it's your typical "Eggman wants all the Chaos Emeralds to control the world" story. The Hero story was all kinds of messy, with a lot of information left out and some scenes seemingly taken out of order. How the Dark story was told was much better than how the Hero story was told and actually formed a cohesive narrative.

Graphics - I prefer the graphics and general presentation of Adventure over Adventure 2. I think the models looked better, the cutscenes weren't as impressive but also didn't have poor-looking mocap, and I prefer the shiny look over the diffuse one in 2. It could just be the nostalgia talking, but it's what I believe.

Hub worlds - Don't know where else to put this, so here it is. Hub worlds in the first Adventure were great. An open area to explore in between missions gave room for the missions to breath, while also allowing you to play the game without having to focus on objectives. Having the upgrades be located here rather than in stages gives it more of a treasure hunt feeling, for lack of better words. The Mission Mode from the DX upgrade even gave you things to do in the hubs, giving you even more reason to explore the worlds. Now that you know how they work in Adventure 1, I'm not happy to say they don't exist in Adventure 2. The Chao Garden exists yes, but to access them you need to find a key within a stage or else you're sent to the next mission. Even then, there isn't much to do in there from a gameplay perspective. The area isn't large enough for you to freely move about in, and there are no missions to do, so if you're not interested in what the Chao Garden has to offer, it's essentially a glorified pause screen.

As a whole, Sonic Adventure 2 is more Adventure, but with only half the gameplay styles as the first game, no hub worlds, and an overall poorer presentation, it doesn't feel as good. One could say it's been more streamlined, but I wonder if that's a good thing. It's still a fine game and probably one of Sonic's better 3D outings, but I'd recommend 1 over 2.

Apologies for the slightly weird formatting, not used to the blocks in Tumblr's new post function

[deformations]

Okay so scarlet/violet is objectively a really shitty game in the production side, right? We’re all in agreeance? Like right off the bat the frame rate is like 10 fps and it’s not even running anything that should objectively be hard especially compared to even Xbox 360 titles. Like first screen after hitting new game??? Are you kidding?

Feel how you might about new Pokémon, moves, competitive, etc: the new game just sucks objectively. Is the switch not strong enough, or is it the team/time crunch???? I sound like such a whiny gamer, but as one of the strongest large franchises in the world, Pokémon should release quality games, right? If we waited 4 years for another mainstay classic game, I’d personally be content, as long as it held well as a competitive, fun story that challenged. I think dev leaders are out of touch, and it feels like a giant corporation is ahead of it all pushing new-name developers to cut many many corners to fit an impossible deadline. I think Pokémon should be better than that, and has so much to learn from other developers rather than seeing them as stark competition

[h-worksrambles]

The two versions of Sonic Unleashed are so interesting to me because I honestly can’t decide which one I like more.

The HD Unleashed on Xbox 360 and PS3 always struck me as having some of the highest highs in the Sonic series but also some of the lowest lows. It looks gorgeous, especially for the time it came out and the art direction does a splendid job selling the vibe of an adventure round the world. It has some of the most spectacle heavy, fast paced levels of all the Boost games. It’s also probably the hardest Boost game which is probably why it tends to score better with die hard Sonic fans who are more patient and looking for a challenge, than it does with newbies or general audience who come to it with no idea what to expect, get their butts kicked three levels in and bounce off. When everything clicks, it looks and feels amazing. And when you couple that with the gorgeous cutscenes, possible one of the best OSTs in the entire franchise and a simple but surprisingly wholesome story, it makes for a really fun and sprawling adventure.

On the other hand, while it’s exhilarating at its best, at its worst this game makes me want to put my head through a wall. The biggest offender is obviously medal collection. Making the player grind to a halt to pick up mandatory collectibles is just aggravating. It’s not so bad in the night stages where taking your time is encouraged, but in the day stages it’s insufferable. I find it always spikes around Adabat/Jungle Joyride where you get the 6th Chaos Emerald. No matter how diligent I am on any given replay, I always find myself having to stop and backtrack for medals here. Which adds insult to injury because I don’t even like Jungle Joyride. It encapsulates a lot of the worst traits of Unleashed’s levels. Specifically, they’re are often too long, especially the later night levels. I’m less encouraged to practice them to work up to a S Rank because one slip up means restating and doing several minutes of progress again. The day stages are shorter of course but levels like Jungle Joyride Act 1 are still longer than anything in Colours or Generations, which makes replaying for S Ranks a real chore. And I personally don’t think the level design is on par with Generations. There’s a lot more cheap deaths you don’t see coming and the controls (especially the drift) are much looser. I put a lot down to this being the first Boost game (unless you count Rush). So Unleashed is very experimental in figuring out what works. And not all of it does.

And your reward for all of this is the worst final level and final boss of the mainline series (at least in my opinion). HD Unleashed is pretty great for a lot of its runtime but you have to put up with some real BS to get there and it really falls off near the end. A lot of the minute issues worsen near the endgame and all the worst levels are packed together there too. Whenever I replay HD Unleashed, I’m always super into it at the start but by the time I reach the final levels, I just kind of want it to be over.

And then there’s the Wii/PS2 version. Getting it out of the way, the worst part of this is how cut down it feels compared to the HD version. It naturally looks worse. Empire City and Savannah Citadel are cut for no real reason. And the charming huh words are replaced with these ugly point and click maps that look like something out of a smartphone game. It’s naturally very stripped down and lacks a lot of the flavour…

And yet, some of those cuts are actually good? Medals being optional rewards that get you extra lives and other bonuses is so much more palatable than making them progression gates. Plus, they’re now rewards for good ranks rather than forcing you to stop and look for them so they encourage you to actually get better at the game. I also think the daytime levels actually fix some of the problems in the HD counterpart. Assuming you play with a GameCube/Classic Controller to circumvent the annoying motion controls, then the drift feels much tighter, the homing attack and boost aren’t mapped to same button anymore, and, hot take here, but the level design is actually better in some ways than the HD version. Less cheap deaths and bottomless pits you can’t see coming because the camera’s zoomed in too close.The length is also closer to Generations. Not so short that you’re done in a minute but also not so long that replaying for S ranks is a chore.

The Werehog levels are definitely worse of due to a downgraded combat system that robs them of any depth the HD version might have had, but between having less annoying QTEs, and being split into shorter, but more numerous acts, (which again, makes S rank replays more manageable), there’s still some pros even here. Plus, the EXP system is much less grindy here. Maxing out the Werehog is so much less tedious.

I still admittedly don’t care for the Secret Rings esque missions, but I’ll take them over the Hot Dog Challenges or the unfair optional acts and DLC levels in the HD version. Couple that with a final level and boss fight that isn’t awful this time, and the fact that the fun story and cutscenes are still intact, and Unwiished is..actually pretty great. It’s definitely missing a lot of the HD version’s charm and that game is still certainly more complete. But when you remove a lot of the bloat from that version it’s a lot easier to enjoy the best parts of Unleashed.

I guess I just wanted to ruminate on my feelings on the two versions of Unleashed because I have a complicated relationship with the game. Like I said, to me, of all the Boost games it’s always been the one with the highest highs and the lowest lows. I don’t go back to it as much as Colours or Generations even though there are parts I think eclipse either of those two games. I always liked it, but it was never one of my absolute favourites, so while I was really happy to see it gain more of a following in recent years, I wasn’t exactly stanning the game myself, especially when the praise tends to revolve almost entirely around the HD version, where as I think both versions have their pros and cons. The Wii version fixes a lot of the problems I have with the HD one, but it also lacks a lot of the flavour and many of the cuts feel like a step too far. They definitely complement each other and I’d recommend both to series’ fans, but it all serves to make them very interesting titles to reflect on.

[dlamp-dictator]

Quick Thoughts on Genshin Impact

Against my better judgement, I decided to give Genshin Impact a shot last night and a bit of today. After seeing some trailers and fan content I got very curious about it and finally caved to play it. After about 6-ish hours of playing I have some thoughts on it. Overall I find this game an enjoyable experience, but I don’t think it’s going to tear my away from Arknights any time soon. And figured I’d write something a bit shorter than my usual essays as a bit of a warm up before getting to the grindstone of belting out that essay about Arknights’ Gavial Event and the fourth essay in my Liking Guilty Gear series.

Some Things of Note

This game is best played on a decent pc/laptop running at 60 fps. I tried playing this on PS4 when it first came out and found it very underwhelming due to some of the controls and slower framerate. Playing this game on my gaming PC with an Xbox 360 controller is a much better experience.

The game itself runs very smoothly even on my (comparatively) average gaming PC, so that’s something. 

If you play on using a controller for this game, then I recommend an Xbox/PC controller. I’ve got some software installed to rework my PS3 dualshock for most PC games, but with Genshin Impact, a proper 360 controller works best.

The fact the A is cancel/back and B is confirm/advance is cancerous and needs to die. This is straight up sacrilege right here. It’s has to be breaking some kind of unwritten law somewhere.

Gameplay Thoughts

Really like how the elemental system works. There’s a lot of fun to be hand messing with the environment and enemies, testing out different reactions and maximizing damage by clever use of the elements and character switching. 

Character switching feels good too. I don’t really care for the cooldown timer, but it’s very short and makes you plan things out a bit.

I know this game is seen as a Breath of the Wild lite, but there’s a lot about this game I like more than BotW. For one, your weapons don’t break and you have more generous inventory management. This game took out the most annoy parts of that game and it’s better for it.

Got Noelle in that free roll thing and she’s... okay. I hear you have to really build her to make her work out well, but the free characters do everything they need to do well enough. Just hope there’s a free/cheap hydro user along the lines at some point. 

Every character’s functions seems clear enough by their kit, which is nice. I do find everyone a little too simple for my liking in terms of their function and kits, but they work well enough. I feel like one more elemental skill would be nice.

Story Thoughts

Only got through enough of the story to get Kaeya, Lisa, and Amber and do Amber’s first(?) story quest, but so far everything works out okay and doesn’t feel too ridiculous.

Aether/Lumine don’t suffer from the same issues I have with the Doctor from Arknights, which is very good. I wish they actively talked more in the story though, especially since they talked a lot in the intro cutscene. 

The storyline itself seems simple enough and good excuse to have the Traveler explore and learn about the world while trying to find/reach their missing sibling. Very little seems like it doesn’t have a purpose or is too much of a diversion from the main quest so far.

Gacha Thoughts

For those of you the read my last essay/opinion piece on gacha games, yes, that 0.6% gacha rate bothers me something fierce. And unlike Arknights I haven’t found anything in the game’s pity system or other mechanics yet to give Genshin Impact a similar exception. If not for my nagging curiosity I would had seen that 0.6% and immediately deleted this game from my hard drive.

That said, the free-to-play party functions well enough so far and I can make it work. A free/cheap Hydro character along the way would be nice as well to have the tools to mess around with all the elements, but the free team is good in terms of function.

The one thing I can say is that I understand the harsh gacha rates from a business angle, as Genshin Impact is a much more complex game than other gacha titles and requires much more energy and time built into every character, as these aren’t basic sprites and PNGs. However, I’m still gonna’ stick to my guns in regards to how I view this as a gacha game and I can’t say I’ll be playing this game past March unless something really wows me into staying.

And those are all my immediate thoughts on the game. So far I like, might keep playing it throughout March, but can’t say I’ll continue past that much, nor can I recommend it until I play through more of it. 

[aion-rsa]

20 Underrated Wrestling Games

https://ift.tt/3mx7pH3

Whether you don’t know the difference between a mark and a bump or you can name the main event of every WrestleMania, you’re probably aware of at least some of the absolute best wrestling games of all-time. Titles like SmackDown: Here Comes the Pain, WWF No Mercy, and WCW/NWO Revenge have transcended the popularity of professional wrestling itself and have become a part of many gamers’ fondest memories.

Yet, there are some forgotten wrestling games that are still worth remembering. While it’s true that there are well-defined tops and bottoms in the wrestling game hierarchy, there are also a few titles somewhere near the middle that have been unfairly lumped together even though some of them deserve a spot near the top of the card with the undisputed legends of the wrestling game scene.

So join us as we look at 20 of the most underrated wrestling games of all-time:

20. Super Fire Pro Wrestling Special

1994 | Human Entertainment | Super Famicom

Super Fire Pro Wrestling Special’s status as one of the earliest wrestling games with a substantial story mode is noteworthy enough. However, what really makes this one special is the fact that one of the game’s scenarios writers was Suda51: the legendary game director known for some of the weirdest games ever made. 

True to form, this game is weirder than you could ever imagine. I can’t think of another wrestling game that ends with the protagonist killing themselves after realizing that their championship win is hollow due to the pain and losses they suffered along the way, and while I’m grateful no other game has tried something like that, this title’s dark and bizarre story should at least make it more talked about than it typically is. 

19. Natsume Championship Wrestling

1994 |  Natsume  | SNES

This is hardly the best wrestling game on this list (clearly), but it does represent a fascinating turning point for wrestling video games that is sometimes overlooked. 

This game combined two eras of wrestling games by featuring the more simplistic arcade style of many early console wrestling titles with a few concepts (such as an advanced fatigue system) that would go on to help shape the more complex wrestling games that would define the years to come. If you like that classic style of wrestling game, this is one of the best ways to revisit it. 

18. Wrestling Revolution 3D

2014 |  MDickie  | Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, Mac, Ouya 

Let’s be clear: this is a very bad game. It’d go so far as to call it objectively bad in many ways. However, it’s the fact that the game is so bad that makes it so much fun. 

Considered by many to be maybe the only example of a “So bad, it’s good” wrestling game, Wrestling Revolution is slow, awkward, broken, and clearly made with love. At a time when so many of the recent yearly WWE games end up being glitchy messes anyway, there’s something to be said for a game that embraces its glitchiness and usually leads to a lot of laughs. 

17. WWE ‘13

2012 |  Yuke’s  | PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360

As suggested above, there’s a point where it’s hard for all but the most hardcore WWE game fans to distinguish recent WWE titles from one another. Maybe that’s why WWE ‘13 is sometimes forgotten when we’re talking about the best relatively modern wrestling games. 

This game’s best feature has to be its “Attitude Era” story modes which let you relive some of the best moments from WWE’s most beloved period. More importantly, this game benefited from pretty good animations and a hit detection system that made it feel good to play years before the clutter of this series’ engine would drag these titles down. 

16. WCW vs. The World

Given that PlayStation gamers spent years lamenting that N64 owners got to play WCW/NWO Revenge and WWF No Mercy (two of the best wrestling games ever), I’m shocked that we don’t hear more people praise WCW vs. The World. 

Essentially the predecessor to those brilliant N64 games made by AKI, WCW vs. The World is by far the closest PlayStation gamers came to getting a wrestling game on the level of the best N64 titles. It’s pretty rough compared to those titles, but I can’t help but think of the years I spent missing out on this true gem.

15. WWF War Zone

1998 | Sculptured Software, Acclaim | PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Game Boy

Granted, it’s not nearly as good as the best wrestling games of its era, but at a time when WWE (then WWF) was enjoying an incredible popularity resurgence, WWF War Zone allowed fans to live out a truly special era of wrestling.

War Zone’s roster is a time capsule of that era that includes a fascinating blend of big-name stars and notable novelty acts. Its gameplay could have been much smoother, but the game’s presentation and graphics made it feel special. It’s still one of the better PS1 wrestling games of its era and is sure to invoke a strong sense of nostalgia.

14. Legends of Wrestling II

2002 | Sculptured Software, Acclaim | PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Game Boy Advance

Legends of Wrestling II’s appeal was (and always will be) its roster. This game’s roster of legendary wrestlers includes some names that still haven’t been included in modern WWE titles. The list of superstars in this game includes Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Mil Mascaras, Bam Bam Bigelow, and many more legends.

The game’s appeal goes beyond its roster, though. The game’s territory-based story mode, which lovingly recreates the structure of ‘80s wrestling, is one of the most inventive ever featured in a wrestling game. It even lets you recreate the famous feud between Jerry Lawler and Andy Kaufman.

13. TNA Impact!

2008 | Midway Games | PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Nintendo DS

TNA Impact was not a great game. Its roster was thin, its gameplay needed a few more months in development, and it just didn’t have nearly enough modes and features to compete with WWE titles. However, the one thing TNA Impact did have was the benefits of the TNA name.

It turns out that counts for quite a lot. Developed during the arguable peak of TNA’s talent level, Impact allowed you to play as everyone, from Christopher Daniels and Samoa Joe to AJ Styles and Abyss. On top of that, the game benefited from its impressive presentation and a surprisingly deep story mode. It was far from perfect, but it was and is a must-have for any TNA fans.

12. MicroLeague Wrestling

1987 | MicroLeague | Commodore 64, Amiga, DOS, Atari ST, AmigaOS

MicroLeague Wrestling is arguably the most obscure, odd, and fascinating game on this list. Released for Commodore 64, Amiga, DOS, and Atari ST, MicroLeague was actually a professional wrestling strategy game that allowed you to decide matches and careers through a series of turn-based commands.

It may feel hopelessly outdated today, but MicroLeague Wrestling was a surprisingly advanced concept at a time when wrestling games were dirt simple. It would be fascinating to revisit this concept through some kind of modern wrestling management game.

11. The Main Event

1988| Konami | Arcade

You’d think that a wrestling game released by Konami in 1988 would be better known, but The Main Event has somehow managed to mostly escape the scrutinizing lens of history. That might have something to do with its unlicensed roster that was only vaguely (and hilariously) based on actual wrestlers.

Still, The Main Event should have been a stepping stone for bigger Konami arcade wrestling games to come. It featured deep wrestling gameplay (for the time) that served as a preview of some more notable wrestling games to come.

10. WCW Wrestling

1989| Nihon Bussan | NES

The NES wasn’t exactly known as a haven for great wrestling games, but WCW Wrestling still deserves to be remembered above most of its console contemporaries. Somehow, though, memories of it remain relegated to the few that played it and are not always as fond as they should be.

WCW Wrestling not only offered WCW fans the chance to play as some of their favorite wrestlers of the era, but it included features such as an expanded ringside area and customizable move sets that were ahead of their time. This game certainly remains one of the most playable of its generation.

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9. WCW Mayhem

1999| EA | PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Game Boy

It’s generally agreed that the N64 got better overall wrestling games than the PS1, but it’s simply a fact that the N64’s WCW games were better than those featured on the PlayStation. However, WCW Mayhem did offer PS1 gamers a taste of something pretty good (especially if they missed out on WCW vs. The World).

Granted, Mayhem was a poor man’s version of the WCW N64 wrestling games (its canceled sequel was going to be developed by the same team that made those N64 games), but it was unfairly overlooked by many PS1 gamers who were burned by too many bad wrestling games over the years. Of course, the game’s N64 version was less impressive in comparison to its direct competition.

8. Power Move Pro Wrestling

1996| Yuke’s | PlayStation

Power Move Pro Wrestling was originally based on the NJPW promotion, but it seems that fears over the international popularity of that promotion (at the time) caused the NJPW stars to be replaced with generic wrestlers with NJPW move sets. That decision stands as this game’s most glaring weakness.

Otherwise, this is a solid wrestling title for its era. Power Move Pro Wrestling was released on the cusp of an incredible generation of wrestling titles, but even though it lacks some of the refinement and features of those games, it does boast some admirable 3D gameplay that was head and shoulders above many other wrestling games at the time.

7. WWE Raw 2

2003| Anchor Inc. | Xbox

The WWE Raw games for Xbox were generally not as strong as their GameCube and PS2 counterparts, but they have been unfairly swept under the rug by fans that feel that they had very little to offer.

WWE Raw 2 actually boasted a few features that would soon become standard. The most notable of those features is the game’s “Create an Entrance,” which not only let you create custom Titantron videos but even let you import your own music. Raw 2 also featured an interesting RPG-lite story mode that complemented its more arcadey elements.

6. Fire Pro Gaiden: Blazing Tornado

1994| Human Entertainment | Arcade, Sega Saturn

Fire Pro Gaiden: Blazing Tornado was a 1994 Arcade/Sega Saturn game that combined elements of Saturday Night Slam Masters, Street Fighter, and more “traditional” pro wrestling games. It was a strange hybrid that was sadly overlooked by too many gamers.

Blazing Tornado is more of a fighting game than a wrestling game, but the ways that it incorporates grappling and other pro wrestling elements make it one of the more notable games of its kind. Its visuals are also enjoyable in a cartoonish kind of way.

5. WWE WrestleMania XIX

2003| Yuke’s | GameCube, Wii

While WrestleMania X8 and XIX would eventually be spun into the overall superior Day of Reckoning titles, WrestleMania XIX deserves to be remembered both as the forerunner of that series and for its wonderfully absurd story mode.

WrestleMania XIX’s story mode saw you seek revenge on Vince McMahon by fighting regular employees and other wrestlers across construction sites, barges, malls, and other random locations. The goal is to cause enough havoc to ruin WrestleMania. It’s a glorious piece of “who came up with this?” game design.

4. Wrestle Kingdom 2

2007 | Yuke’s | PlayStation 2

Wrestle Kingdom 2’s release date is notable not only because it’s the newest game on this particular list but also because it was released at a time when major wrestling games were veering more into “simulation” territory, a time when wrestling games stopped catering to more casual players.

Well, Wrestle Kingdom 2 happens to be “arcadey” and accessible in all of the right places without sacrificing depth. Its gameplay is deep enough for genre masters, but can also be picked up fairly quickly. The fact that it so happens to feature some brilliant tournament modes along with an impressive collection of Japanese stars is just the bow that tops this gift to wrestling.

3. WWE Smackdown! vs Raw 2006

2005| Yuke’s | PlayStation 2, PSP

“Underrated” might be a bit of a stretch in this instance considering that those who love this game place it alongside the greatest wrestling games ever made, but the fact remains that not enough gamers know that this is an absolutely brilliant wrestling title.

In fact, some believe this to be the perfect middle ground between SmackDown: Here Comes the Pain’s lovably ridiculous gameplay and the more grounded games that would follow in this series. SvR 2006 includes an unbelievable number of match types, a very welcome general manager mode, and pick up and play gameplay that some at the time compared to the timeless WWF No Mercy. It deserves to be remembered as a classic.

2. King of Colosseum II

2004| Spike | PlayStation

While there are quite a few Japan-only wrestling games that would qualify as underrated in the West, many consider King of Colosseum II to be the crown jewel of that particular crowd. With its massive roster, deep grappling system, and incredible create-a-wrestler mode, this game is often thought of as the closest we’ve come to a 3D successor to the Fire Pro Wrestling series (it was made by the same team responsible for many of the early games in that series). It’s a shame that it was never exported to the West.

1. Ultimate Muscle: Legends vs. New Generation

2002| AKI Corporation | GameCube

Many people know that AKI Corporation, developers of those classic N64 wrestling games like WWF No Mercy, went on to develop the first two excellent Def Jam titles. What fewer people remember is that AKI also developed this absolute gem of a wrestling game.

Essentially an anime wrestling game, Ultimate Muscle: Legends vs. New Generation sees good and evil wrestlers battle across the universe. Bolstered by AKI’s all-time classic grappling gameplay, Ultimate Muscle proves to be a wonderfully over-the-top wrestling game that’s just as fun to watch as it is to play. Imagine if DragonBall FighterZ and WWF No Mercy had a video game child. This is what you’d get, and it’s better than you can imagine.

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Xbox Emulator

The Xbox is a console made by Microsoft. It uses modified x86 compatible hardware and thus it is possible to write an emulator for it. You can also find many homebrew applications and emulators that run ON the Xbox. Today ACE talks about Xbox Emulation in the current year, and some of the progress that has been made since his last video on the subject 2020.Links:CXBX-R A.

Xbox Emulator Games

emulator

copycat: someone who copies the words or behavior of another

(emulation) (computer science) technique of one machine obtaining the same results as another

We have presented you a collection of 19 of Xbox games. Here you can play online and download them free of charge. You can use 19 emulator to play all your favorite games compatible with it. 19’s list includes popular ROMs games, such as Need For Speed Underground 2, Shenmue II, Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks, Halo 2, GTA Vice City, Halo. The Xbox is a console made by Microsoft. It uses modified x86 compatible hardware and thus it is possible to write an emulator for it. You can also find many homebrew applications and emulators that run ON the Xbox. Download this app from Microsoft Store for Windows 10. See screenshots, read the latest customer reviews, and compare ratings for Microsoft Emulator.

games

(game) a contest with rules to determine a winner; “you need four people to play this game”

(game) crippled: disabled in the feet or legs; “a crippled soldier”; “a game leg”

A complete episode or period of play, typically ending in a definite result

A single portion of play forming a scoring unit in a match, esp. in tennis

(game) bet on: place a bet on; “Which horse are you backing?”; “I’m betting on the new horse”

A form of play or sport, esp. a competitive one played according to rules and decided by skill, strength, or luck

Xbox Emulator Roms

xbox

A gaming device created by Microsoft. Ultimately Microsoft is looking to turn your television into a web access device, and so is looking beyond the gaming industry.

The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360.

Video game console manufactured and distributed by Microsoft; Any of the video game consoles in the Xbox product line, especially the original Xbox

xbox emulator games – Gamecube, PS2,

Gamecube, PS2, XBox 3 in 1 Controller Adapter- Play your favorite Controller on your PC via USB

Connect your game controller to the 3 in 1 Magic Joy Box first, then insert the 3 in 1 Magic Joy Box to your PC USB. If you change the order, the hardware will not be found in the Game Interface of your PC. ? Connect PS/PS2, GC, XBox game controller to your PC; ? Connect PS/PS2 and XBox dancing pad to your PC; ? Compatible with Windows98/ME/2000/XP; ? Support all buttons on the game controller; ? Support 4 types of Real Vibration: Constant Force; Sine Force; Spring Force; Ramp Force; ? Support both digital and analog modes; ? Three players can play simultaneously.

Original XBox – modded

Xbox Emulator

modded – emulators and games on hd two controllers 3 game disc included cables

The Grid

Xbox Emulator Online

ZX Spectrum game I wrote in 1985 running on SpeXtrum Emulator on XBox

xbox emulator games

Cached

The Xtension Arcade Cabinet For The X-Arcade Tankstick is an affordable, yet modernized upright arcade cabinet. This well designed product now brings the classic style of game play into your home easier than ever. This lighter, yet sturdy two piece unit ships knocked down and assembles in about 30 minutes. Why spend top dollar on traditional cabinets when you can easily satisfy your gaming needs with one inexpensive, up-to-date unit. Just add an old PC you have lying around, an inexpensive flat screen 22″ monitor (Sold Separately) and the reasonably priced X-Arcade Tankstick (Sold Separately) to your new The Xtension Arcade Cabinet. Then download and install your favorite game platform (most available for FREE download), and for less money than you’d expect, you can be up and running in no time! PLEASE NOTE: PC, Monitor & USB Controller not included. Features: Modular Unit, Removable Top For Pedestal Use. Includes a FREE Clear Plexiglass Monitor Bezel with Optional Bezel Decal (The plexiglass monitor bezel can easily be maneuvered in and out of place). One adjustable shelf inside cabinet for advanced storage. Fits Most 22″ Flat Screen Monitors (Sold Separately) and easily mounts to an angled flat panel monitor mount which accepts standard VESA monitors. Hinged door with magnetic catch. Drilled speaker ports with lip which discretely conceals most computer speakers allowing for sound from above (Also Includes Side Speaker Ports). Open back on bottom section for cooling hardware. Extremely sturdy construction. Easy to assemble with easy to read assembly instructions. Includes Bolts, T-Mold & Assembly Hardware. Fits X-Arcade Tankstick, Works With Any Game Console (adapters available) Play current console blockbusters, FREE Online Games and great PC/MAC emulator classics. Optional Interchangeable Graphics Can Be Later Added Available.