Friday, December 17, 2021

Game Reviews Volume 18 From 2021 Part V

The last batch of games I beat for 2021 and my experiences of them.

Just beat Dark Rift on N64. What an ordeal! It was originally a Sega Saturn game that was cancelled and brought to N64. Ifs a fighting game like Bloody Roar or w/e where you play as these weird characters and daemons and beat down everyone. You use the C buttons to fight (Including as Block button) and B grabs, but you can switch em around in the menu. L/R makes you shuffle around foreground or background to dodge attacks and you use the D Pad to move around and Up is Jump. The controls don't always work as I did the Jump and attack to do a coming down thing and half the time it did nothing. Animations need to complete before you do anything but the enemy has instant movement. You even gotta turn around if the foe jumps over you! Its kinda cheap. So I out cheaped it by doing a few hits and running away until time ran out and I won. You can have 60 or 90 second  battles and best of 1 3 or 5 fights. There's infinite Continues so just play til you get good or lucky. I say put it on Best Of 1 Rounds so you only gotta beat em once. Also if you play it on Easy: You can't fight the last boss! Why have a Mode you can't finish the game on?! Overall I didn't care for this much. Good graphics and music and for some reason: All reviewers gush over it being 60fps, but I don't care about that! I just want it to play good! Normally I like fighting games but this wasn't good to me. Glad I beat it but I doubt I'll play it again. Oh and its by Vic Tokai, who's usually good, and made by Kronos Digital Entertainment who did 2 other games related to this: Criticom and Cardinal Syn, and they did Animation for the 90s Spider Man Cartoon. It looks cool and sounds good, but the gameplay could be better. In games like Street Fighter or Samurai Shodown you move instantly instead of the delay where the animation has to slowly go through. More proof 2D is better for Games.

Just beat Sin and Punishment on N64. Its a kind of Run and Gun game by Treasure taking place in the distant future year of 2007 where these alien things made by people to eat went wild and attacked. Its actually got English voices but as it was never released in America on N64 I got a Repro Cart and its fully Translated(But knowing a few Japanese Letters can help if you\ get the original). You use the C Left/Right or Left/Right on the D Pad to  move and the A Stick aims. Z is fire and holding it keeps firing but tapping it lets you sword slice close guys or knock back missiles at the enemy for more damage. You get a few Continues but get more every 100 guys you ice.. L/R is jump and A changes from lock on shots or Manual Aim that does more damage. You can save in this and go back to it later. The graphics are pretty N64 but its got some impressive things in it. The music is good and the Controls take a bit of getting used to, but its not too rough. The plot is pretty nuts and is hard to follow or make much sense but its cool. The voice acting is kinda bad but lovably wooden and I liked it. Like most Treasure games its creative and wild and is well made. It cost like over 80$ with the middleman but was worth it as I didn't wanna get the tools to swap the back of an actual Cartridge with an American one and assemble it myself. If you bite it you go back to the last invisible checkpoint and it usually don't send you too far back. There's a timer and if it runs out then your health starts leaking but there's time power ups and you get more time beating bosses I think. Glad I got this one. Its one of the better N64 games I did.

Just beat Juuoki/Altered Beast for Nes on my DS R4. Its a 1 plane Beat Em Up where you play as this Greek/Roman Furry who fights to save his god's daughter. A is punch B is kick and Start pauses. You get 3 lives and 2 Continues to beat 8 levels but there's a Level Select code to start from any Level. Up is jump and Up Up is double jump and as you go on: You kick these Blue/Gray dogs and they drop a Power Ball that makes you bigger/buffer/stronger. After the 3rd one you turn into a furry and get new powers from your attacks and can fly or swim in some formes. After you come to the boss you need to have 3 Power Balls collected or you gotta go through another round of enemies to get the Balls.  Its got decent graphics and nice music for 8 bit but is kinda harder than the Genesis one. Its done by Asmik and is weird as Altered Beast was the pack in game with the Genesis when it came out so it could show that Genesis Does What Nintendon't but they also put a version on Nintendo. Its pretty tough but if you bite it: You resummon where you fell, unless you use a Continue, which makes you restart the level. Glad I played it. The new forms are pretty good and the bosses are big and need to be hit with the right move in the right place. Some of these new formes seem to have inspired the GBA Altered Beast.

Just beat the NES Bucky O'Hare on my DS R4. Its sorta like TMNT meets Battletoads but you fight amphibians in it. It starts like Mega Man with you choosing your level from 4 planets and after each one, you rescue a team mate who you can switch to with Select. Start pauses, A is Jump and B is fire shots, but holding it charges your lower meter and lets you use your power like wall climbing or super jump. You get unlimited continues and they put you back where you bit it, but you gotta collect life up power ups to raise your max life and same with your lower meter and both reset when you game over. Its made by Konami but the guys who did it went on to make Treasure so its pretty good graphics and control. It came out after the Snes and was based off a show based on a comic that lasted 1 season. This one has unskippable cutscenes and they got pretty good art. Its pretty tough at times with 1 hit kills in some parts but can be beat if you keep at it. There's also a 5 character Password so you don't gotta beat it in 1 sitting and some parts like the mine cart level have impressive speed. Its a quality game that holds up and even though I never saw the show or read the comics, its enjoyable. Glad I did this one.

Just beat The King of Dragons for Snes on my DS R4. Its a beat em up sorta like Lord of the Rings or Dungeons and Dragons where you play as Phantasy things like a Wizard or Elf and fight through 16 levels. You level up and get stronger as you get more points and start with 2 Continues but can get more from the Mega Man Pinwheel/Shuriken thing. Sometimes you can get a floating orb that you can move by walking into it and hitting it unleashes a magic thing. 1 button is attack, 1 is jump, 1 is a Super attack that costs life and you can block with some characters. Its got good 16 bity graphics ands music and controls pretty well. You can change what buttons do what in the options and there's a 99 Continues truck if you do this 2 player thing. If you bite it, you get back up and continue, but using a Continue lets you  return where you fell but leaves an orb that can damage foes if hit. Its based on an Arcade Game from Capcom and was pretty popular. Biting it doesn't lower your level and as the game goes on: you get more life and hit harder as foes who game you trouble now go out in a swing or 2. Its quite well done and you feel like you are improving. Glad I did this one.

Just beat Wonder Boy in Monster World on my 100 Sega Master System games in 1 GBA Multicart. Its kind of a platform RPG where you get better weapons and items and solve puzzles. 1 button is attack and the other is jump, while start opens the menu. The Genesis version used a Battery Save but this uses a Password that's dozens of characters long. But if  you know what to do: It can be beat in like an hour. You heal at Inns and get the Password there but also get hearts and coins from beating guys. Its got pretty good graphics for 8 bit and the music and sounds are good. You can revive with a Potion but you can only carry 1 at a time but can buy more. I'm not sure what happens in you bite it as I didn't. It controls pretty well and you can use Magic and Items like healing juice by choosing it in the menu and pressing Up and a Button. You can't change items or magic on bosses but most are pretty easy. Its a pretty good game and works out pretty well. Nice solid Wonder Boy game, but its actually the 5th total Wonder Boy one and the 3rd Monster World one. Glad I did this one. Oh and you can upgrade your weapon, shield, boots and armor by finding or buying new ones, but don't need to get every one and can skip a few. For some reason: In my playthrough: When I got a Shield: It didn't register and wouldn't show up in my inventory so I had top play most of the game without one, but all it does is block shots from enemies, and I could just tank a few hits and go on. In the end the Legendary Shield let me equip it.

Just beat The Master System Y's The Vanished Omens on my 200 Sega Games Multicart on Genesis. Its a good RPG/Adventure Game like Zelda where you fight by walking into enemies at the right way. You gotta get em on the side a bit and not dead on. You level up with enough EXP from beating guys and can equip a sword, shield, armor and ring, plus an Item used with 1 button and accessing the menu with the other. You gotta doi minor quests and get these books of Ys to stop some bad guy. Rings are just an equip instead of a usable item and Items can be used up. Many items you get are one shots and you don't really need em besides getting past 1 thing. If some things are too hard, just level up by beating guys. You can save anywhere except Boss Rounds and it can be abused. You have a Max Level and even with the best Equips: There are some guys who cream you. If you bite it: You reload a past save and go on. I spent 6 hours on it plus another3-4 the day prior. You heal by standing still in an outdoor place but there's a Heal Ring that restores life like standing still but can be used in Danger Zones. On Bosses you can't change items or access the menu or use items like Life Potion. In the final part: You gotta go back through the level to find this 1 guy who only gives you the item to get to the final boss when you have the right book thats found close to the end. Twas kind of a pain to find him. Good 8 bit Graphics and nice music with an 80s vibe. It can move kinda fast as the Master System has the same Speed Processor as the Snes. I'm glad I finally did this one. Its pretty nice. The story is well done and is a good start to the series. Worthy Master System Game. Oh and if you don't have high enough Attack Power: The stronger enemies are immune to you until you get Tuff E Nuff.

Just beat Vector Man 2 on my 100 Genesis Games DS Multicart. Its kind of a run n gun platformer with Prerendered 3D Graphics that look pretty cool. C is Jump, B/A is Fire and in the Tank Levels: A makes you turn Left or Right. Its pretty hard as you don't get continues and only get a few lives, but you get multipliers like X2 X3 or X10 and when you get a power up while Multiplied: It gives you that many of it. You get a few hit points in a life bar but can increase your maximum life with power ups The game can be beat in like 20 mins if you skip everything or like an hour if you collect everything. There's power sacks of these green lumpy things hanging from the ceiling with goodies if you pop em with attacks and you can't jump down through platforms. If you jump and jump in the air: You do a boost jump that can damage foes pretty well. There's only like 4 bosses but there are bonus levels that have you flying a ship or doing Galaga where you gotta beat foes and collect clocks like in Back to the Future and can get extra guys. Your life isn't restored between rounds but there are codes like spelling Rubadub or Babaluu or Urabadlad with Up Down Left Right A B and C that can do things like give you Extra Guys or refill your Life or access a Level Select. There's weapon power ups that do more damage or autofire if you hold the button but they don't last too long and if you bust certain enemies: They drop a Sphere that turns you into a Vector Man Version of them lie a Scorpion or Rhino guy. There's a time limit and I never really had an issue with it, but the Twister Level got me to 22 seconds left when I beat it from missing a jump and going back up to try again. Some levels took me some time to figure out where to go. The graphics are some of the best on the Genesis and the music is cool. Some parts seem reused like the Lava level looking like a Recolored Ice level from the 1st game. Glad I did this. Its a great 16 bit experience.

On March 24: Just beat Contra: The Alien Wars on my 68 Gameboy Games in 1 Multicart. Its an 8 bit ver of the Snes game and was done by Factor 5 who did the Turrican games..A Jump B is fire and Select is a Screen Nuke you get reset to 1 of each time you bite it. You get a few lives and 3 Continues and each time you bite it you resummon where you bit it. Using a Continue puts you back. There's also a 4 letter Password that puts you back at the start of the level with the same item, nukes and lives. You can get a power up like Spread Gun or Flame Thrower and these last til you bite it. There's only 5 levels and it don't take long to get through, esp with nukes and knowing what your doing. Its simple but works. An issue I had was walking off cliffs when I tried to jump. Overall its actually pretty easy compared to other Contra Games and you can cheese it by using a Password instead of Continue so you never run out. This game was worth getting and I'm glad I played it. Even the Top Down Levels were not so bad and it don't got Tank Controls so when I wanna go left, I press left. Its a bit stiff to control but its on a GB and cut back from 16 bit so its understandable.

Just beat The Terminator for Sega Master System on my 200 Sega Games Genesis/Master System Multicart. Its a Run N Gun Game by Virgin based on Terminator 01 where you play as Kyle Reese and gotta do 5 levels to stop Arnold from taking out Sarah Conner. You get 1 life and 0 Continues, but the game can be beat in like 10 mins and is only 5 levels. Plus there's a Level Select code accessed by Holding  1 button when the Title Screen is on, then tapping the other to make the screen go black, then (Maybe when still holding the button) then pressing Left Left Up Up Right Right Down Down. If you wanna jump across something  you gotta be moving and if you fall from too high it ends you. 1 button is jump and 1 is attack and you get different items like Grenades or a Shot Gun. Against Arnold you can only knock him back with blasts and in the night club level you gotta  blast him back, advance, then duck to avoid his shots and repeat til he's done. You can take a few hits but if Arnold touches you: your done. Your life refills after going from 1 area to the next and there's enemies that resummon after a few seconds. Its got pretty good graphics and the music is good and controls fine. Its kinda unforgiving plus some parts you gotta know where to go, but if you just watch a speed run or long play its not hard to learn. Its by Virgin and is a pretty well made game that is good if you want something you can do in a few mins. It follows the movie well and has nice cutscenes that looks like some kinda Amiga thing. Its usually good to take a few steps and fire then advance, but if there's 2 enemies on the screen, more don't come so if you can outrun the 80s punks in level 2 who throw Molotov Cocktails; they can't catch you and you can just run to the end. Oh and there's a Timer but its not too punishing. Glad I played this. Its pretty cool.

Just beat Jurassic Park on my 106 Game Gear Games GBA Multicart. Its a Platform/Run N Gun game where you do 4 levels in any order, then, if you didn't use any Continues: You do the final level. 1 button is attack and 1 is jump and on the pause menu you can change your weapon from a Straight Shot Wave Blast, A Grenade that goes in an Arc then makes a Pillar of Fire, And a Diagonal Up Shot that goes left/right at a height. Each level starts with a Gallery Shooter where the D Pad moves the Crosshairs and you defend the Car from Dinosaurs. If you take too many hits, it ends, but you can earn extra hit points by capping these Gas Can things that come out, and refill life by firing in front of the Car as it goes by a Rock. After a while a boss comes and you gotta blast it enough to beat it. But if you get beat, the only penalty is starting the level with 1 Hit Left. You get coins from beating guys and after 10 you get a Continue. Biting it on a boss restarts the boss fight but using a Continue restarts the level at the bonus driving thing. The graphics are pretty impressive and I like the Brachiosaurs who swing their heads down in 1 level cuz it looks cool. Nice colors and its got good music. It controls pretty well and you can climb on the ceiling by jumping to it and holding up, and go up platforms by holding up and jump while hanging. You can collect 1st aid kits that you can collect and  use em in the options menu to refill the health bar. It plays pretty well and the driving levels are kinda optional as you can just collect a health power up dropped by a shot Dino to remove the penalty. Its got nice cutscenes and the ending kinda sets up Jurassic World as they catch the Dinos and get the Park running. Maybe Jurassic World is a sequel to this? But its a decent game that can be beat in like 20 mins or so depending on if you do the Driving Rounds. Glad I played this.

Just bear Rastan On my 200 Genesis/Master System Games Genesis Multicart. Its a Conan like game where you play as a big muscley dude with long hair and a speedo/boots and fight monsters to save a princess. 1 button is jump and 1 is attack and you can't pause. You don't got lives but have 3 Continues but that's not enough, so as this is an Arcade game originally, and in Arcades you can just put in another coin, It you hold both buttons and press diagonally down/left when the title comes on: You get unlimited Continues. You can attack up or when ducking and jumping and down and attack can attack there. You can pick up different weapons like a fire sword that shoots fireballs or a mace that extends but they only last a bit. The jumping is kinda off as you can only jump straight up, or in a close or long arc by using the D Pad and it takes some getting used to. You can wall jump by jumping at a wall then aiming the D Pad away and jumping again. Its got nice music and good 8 bit Graphics and if you bite it: you return to the last area you entered, an outside level, castle, or boss. Its pretty balanced if you use the Infinite Continues code but with only 3, will take much training. Its pretty good and the ending cut scene has nice graphics and really good music. If you can keep a power weapon to a boss: it does more damage. 1 level has a huge Dragon with a moving head and its pretty cool. Glad I played this one. Its pretty cool. Oh and as the game goes on, your Life Bar Extends.

Just beat Brawl Brothers for SNES on my DS R4. Its a beat em up and part 2 of the Rushing Beat series. You choose 2 of 5 players  and fight the other 3 as bosses as I think in the Japanese version its clones like in Robotech. 1 button is attack, 1 is jump, 1 is life burning move and 1 is pose. There's grabs and throws and slams and each player has different speed and damage. In the American version is these Maze levels where you gotta go up and down an elevator or through this sewer and find your way to the boss by choosing the right path. Its kinda annoying and unless you have a guide: will eat time. You can run with left or right twice, but often I try to inch forward and it goes into a run and I  go into an electric floor or in a pit. Enemies can damage each other with shots and grenades. I find often I'm attacking and get no hits, but he takes a shot without moving and I take a punch. A few bosses are kinda tough but its not impossible. You get yo to 5 Continues and if you bite it you go on where you fell, even if you use a Continue. You can choose a new character if you use one But some are kinda tricky. If you attack when the foes are getting up you can punch em back and loop em. Its not great and bugged me with the control and hit detection, but its not awful. Oh and after you bite it and resummon: you choose where to go and foes follow so you can go over a pit and they'll jump off before you go back to land and press start. Glad I played it. Oh and you can unlock the Japanese version of the game on the American copy with a code. There's also an Angry Mode you can turn on in the options but I don't know how to use it in the game so I never used it I hear its a temp boost of power or something. Oh and you can change what buttons do what. Oh and the Japanese version doesn't have the maze levels I hear.

Just beat Ninja Gaiden on my 100 Sega Genesis Games  Ds Multicart. Its an unlicensed version of the Arcade game and is a 2 player Beat Em Up where you can choose which button is Attack, Super Attack or Jump. Pressing left or right twice does a roll to go faster than walking somehow and you can roll and Super Attack to do a Break Dance Move. If you walk straight you go down naturally and gotta press Up to keep from the bottom and the roll move happens more often than you want. This game is super easy as you can beat most guys with 1 combo of hammering Attack and you never seem to run outta lives. Bosses are not tough but you got a time limit and it wacks you if its out. The Super Attack I think costs life and can't be  used if you have too low bars at the top of the screen. Some levels have you go up and down like in Shinobi by holding Up or Down and Jumping. Its got good 16 bit Cutscenes and nice Genesis Music. I like the Night Blues it uses and its cool style. If you pause and press Jump or something: It skips the rest of the level. Overall its a nice simple game that can be won with just a bit of time. I liked it but if you prefer really hard games, its not it. Glad I played this. Its pretty cool.

Just beat The Peace Keepers for Snes on my DS R4. Its the 3rd part of the Rushing Beat Beat Em Up Saga and like the other 2: has a different name to act like its its own thing. Kinda like how none of the James Bond movies have anything in the Titles in common. 1 button is punch, 1 is jump (I can double jump but only tried it with Echo) 1 is recoil super attack and 1 is pose or something. If you take enough damage you go to Angry Mode and I think are invincible and do more damage and change colors for a bit but only once her life. You start with 2 Continues, which work as lives and biting it has you continue where you fell. Some enemy's attacks can damage others and in 2P mode you can turn off friendly fire. Its not so bad and has nice graphics but no music and you can run by double tapping left/right and press attack to do a rush thing. 1 part had me fighting 2 hulking wrestlers and I did the rush attack on em against a wall and it somehow got in a loop for endless damage until they were ground down. There are different characters that play different and you can unlock some. There's also branching paths that can change the ending but not the final boss to my knowledge. It takes place in the distant future year of 2015 after the economic issue of 2011, which is close enough to History. Also there's an evil company devolving people and you gotta stop em. The game boss is tough until you realize you can stand at the left edge of the screen, walk up, and walk down when he attacks to grab and throw him into the wall, then move up and repeat. Its not too bad and you can even customize colors of characters in the menu. Oh and the characters and levels are named after Cultural things like Shakespeare or Escape From New York. 

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