#grabbed by the ghoulies

[videogamepolls]

Requested by @sparklypunk

[lesserknownwaifus]

[waterkirby--64]

Original Xbox Appreciation

Grabbed by the Ghoulies

[blazehedgehog]

Do you think Microsoft killed Rare or were Rare already dying?

I think after the success of Donkey Kong Country, Rare was kind of burning the candle at both ends. I once heard from somebody who sounded very close to the source that basically, the Stamper Brothers would burn through an entire game's budget, and in order to raise more money to continue development, they would sell stock in the company to Nintendo.

This continued from some time after Donkey Kong Country all the way up to the development of Star Fox Adventures, and by the time Star Fox Adventures was in development, Rare had sold 49% of the company to Nintendo.

When you own 50% of stock or more, you are put on the board of directors and get to control part of the company. Rare figured that, since Nintendo had given them the Star Fox license to work with, they were in good enough graces that maybe Nintendo would want to buy the entire company outright instead of having more stock. So they made the necessary legal arrangements for the sale of the company and... Nintendo rejected the offer.

But Rare still needed money to finish Star Fox.

And, well, they were technically already up for sale now...

Keep in mind that after Microsoft bought Rare, a lot of Rare's first games under them were stuff they were working on for Nintendo. Kameo started out on the N64, was going to appear on the Gamecube, and ended up as an Xbox 360 launch title. Both Perfect Dark Zero and Grabbed by the Ghoulies were announced for the Gamecube, as well.

I think under Microsoft they were probably treated differently, financially speaking, but that's also because they pushed their luck with Nintendo until it hit a breaking point, right? Without the long, long, long tail of polish and refinement, that's how we end up with something like Perfect Dark Zero (yes, even considering it was announced as a Gamecube game).

And that kind of "we can take our time and be perfectionists" thinking just kind of... slowly undid the company.

So to some degree... both? Microsoft probably bought Rare without giving Rare the runway to do things the way they liked doing them, but Rare was already biting off more than they could chew at every turn. They could get there in the end, but it was slow, and Microsoft probably wouldn't let them be slow.

[retrogamelovers]

Which one you playing first? 💀

[miloscat]

[Review] Grabbed by the Ghoulies: Challenge 21 (XB)

Justice for Amber.

A couple of years ago I caught up on this Xbox Zero cult classic for the first time. In the Rare fan circles I’m part of it has an outsized and beloved reputation, and I have some appreciation for it despite finding the gameplay a bit clunky. Now it’s been picked in my retro game club, so I revisited it to complete the notorious challenge mode.

A quick refresher: GbtG is a twin-stick beat-em-up by the Banjo-Kazooie team. It has a very recognisably Kirkhopian score, a cheesy spook-tastic tone, and a charmingly crooked art style. You bash your way through all manner of beasties and monsters going room by room through a dilapidated haunted mansion, each new chamber presenting you with a unique challenge along with an assortment of makeshift weapons and powerups.

Aside from the main mode, there are a small selection of side challenges, more difficult room scenarios that rank you afterwards. Get gold on all 20 and you’ll gain access to challenge 21, which asks you to play through the entire game with some new modifiers (and most cutscenes removed). It’s more lenient than it sounds as you’re still allowed to die and your progress within the challenge is saved.

In 21, each room gives you ten health to complete it: pretty harsh except for the rare rooms which in the base game stick you with just 1. You also have no powerup soups at all; I did miss the chaos, the cheese strats, and the crutch that these soups represent, but on the other hand there’s no malus soups, and I was forced to engage more deeply with the combat engine, getting better at the fighting fundamentals in the process (though I still think they’re ultimately a bit jank).

The other modifier in challenge 21 is that the player character Cooper is swapped out for Amber, who mainly serves as damsel in distress in the story mode. She plays identically to Cooper and has her own vocalisations. This is a win—well, it’s something at least—and a glimpse at what could have been had the development plans to include her as an equal playable partner made it to release.

Having gone through this final wringer, I find myself with a new respect for Ghoulies. It’s positively oozing with trademark Rare charm and loaded with fun Easter eggs, mostly to BK but also to itself with concept art of unused monsters in portraits all over Ghoulhaven Hall. I did get stuck in certain scenes for a while but it was interesting to work out specific tactics, and I must acknowledge Rare Gamer’s guides and walkthrough video that helped me out of a few sticky spots. Oh and in case anyone wants to compare, I cleared the challenge in 6 hours and 5 minutes. Crunch my carrots!

[z-paladin]

Grabbed by the ghoulies is a Low Mid game to me but it does make me wanna see Kiryu just fucking DESTROY a cartoon skeleton

[g4zdtechtv]

X-Play Classic - Grabbed by the Ghoulies Review

Laugh in the face of danger!

(4GTV - STREAM WHAT YOU PLAY! WATCH NOW!)

[keeganmantle]

Goodnight.😁

[voltdragoon]

Crazy how especially in the earlier seasons RWBY would just casually drop some of the sickest fight scenes of all time on you just genuinely kinda out of nowhere and you just had to move on from that. Forget about the insane big raven kill fight. now we're back at school.

[pemguims]

also. watched connors house tour video and I'm going to be thinking about him saying "sometimes my legs get sore so I'm not afraid to take a bath" for the rest of my life. I'm not afraid to take a bath. I'm not afraid to take a bath. I'm not afraid to take a bath. I'm not afraid to take a bath.

[tillman]

My wife just called me leon s kennedy I need to kill myself post haste.

[nitas-art]

[19 IV 2024]

give a warm welcome to our new oshi, Oatbullet

[a-shrieking-cloud-of-bats]

just sort've coming to the conclusion that Christianity is going to be haunting my personal preferences and Deep Responses To Things for probably the rest of my life

raised in bible belt problems

[malinastharlock]

Some girls get to have all the fun. (＞ｍ＜)