Another Eden

Another Eden: First Look

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I thought I’d sworn off mobile games. But when one comes along that promises a single player-centric experience and boasts talent that previously worked on titles such as Chrono Trigger and Luminous Arc, I pay attention.

I’d actually already had my eye on Another Eden: The Cat Beyond Time and Space for a while, since it released in Japan a while back and seemed to be very positively received. Now, it’s finally available in the West, so I thought I’d dip in and see what it was all about.

Read on for my first impressions, based on a couple of hours of play on the recently released Android version.

Continue reading Another Eden: First Look →

Atari A to Z, Videos

Atari ST A to Z: Mickey Mouse – The Computer Game

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Who’s the leader of the club that’s made for you and me? Some mouse, I think.

Yes, it’s time for the official computer game adaptation of one of Disney’s most beloved properties: one Michael Mouse. This game was produced by Gremlin Graphics, and was noteworthy at the time for being a licensed game that eschewed the usual platform game formula. (Granted, Mickey Mouse and friends had several very good platform games throughout the 8- and 16-bit eras, but it was cool to see something a bit different!)

This is a pretty cool game with a couple of aspects that are inordinately frustrating… most notable of which is the fact that actually completing a level is next to impossible thanks to a monstrously difficult boss encounter! Oh well. At least it looks nice.

Find a full archive of all the Atari A to Z videos on the official website.

Waifu Wednesday

Waifu Wednesday: Paya

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The Zelda series has always played host to some wonderful female characters, and one of Breath of the Wild’s big strengths is how much personality it brings to its different areas through its NPCs.

One of the most striking characters that you’ll probably encounter quite early on — assuming you follow the opening hours of the main narrative rather than just wandering off in a random direction — is Paya, granddaughter of the Sheikah elder Impa, and a young lady with a massive, massive crush on Link.

Let’s see what makes her tick!

Continue reading Waifu Wednesday: Paya →

Videos, Warriors Orochi, Warriors Wednesday

Warriors Wednesday: Shu Warriors vs Orochi – Warriors Orochi #44

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Well, the Shu warriors have finally reached the end of their journey: Koshi Castle, home of the dreaded Orochi.

This is what it all comes down to! Everything the team has been fighting for culminates in this final battle. And perhaps… just perhaps, if they’re lucky, they’ll finally be reunited with Liu Bei after a very long journey!

Although if you’re accustomed to how Liu Bei looks in more recent Warriors installments, be ready for a bit of a surprise!

Castlevania, Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, Delving Into...

Delving Into Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse – #1

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I have, as they say, been looking forward to this.

Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse is not a game I have any experience with whatsoever, aside from one critical aspect: its music. Specifically, back when the PS1 was current, I had an original copy of Symphony of the Night (which, believe me, I severely regret getting rid of now!) that came with a soundtrack CD. On that CD was a single track from Castlevania III — or more accurately, its Famicom incarnation, Akumajō Densetsu. It left quite an impression on me.

Now, thanks to the release of the Castlevania Anniversary Collection, I finally get to experience Castlevania III as truly intended. And I’m very excited about it.

Continue reading Delving Into Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse – #1 →

Atari A to Z, Videos

Atari A to Z: Satan’s Hollow

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Tired of blasting aliens? Fed up of shooting soldiers? Punched enough gang members in the face to last a lifetime? Then surely it’s time you faced the ultimate evil!

Yes, indeed, in Satan’s Hollow, you are going after the Big D (not that kind of Big D) himself, ol’ Satan of the Hollow, Esq. And you’ve brought yourself a natty little bridge-building spaceship that seems just tailor-made for the task of crossing the pit of fire to where Satan hangs out.

But wait! It seems Satan has friends, and they’re not particularly pleased to see you. Can you fend off Beelzebub’s Hoover attack for long enough to even catch a glimpse of the lord of all devils himself? Only one way to find out — in an unreleased Atari 8-bit port of an elderly Midway arcade game!

Find a full archive of all the Atari A to Z videos on the official site.

The Zelda Diaries

The Zelda Diaries: Part 1 – A New Beginning

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I’ve had The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sitting on my backlog for a long time now, and I’ve been trying to work out the best way to cover it, because I knew that I definitely wanted to cover it in one form or another.

Was a Cover Game feature right for it? Perhaps, but with one or two exceptions, I tend to prefer to reserve the Cover Game slot for games that don’t get much attention from the mainstream press. And Breath of the Wild has certainly had plenty of mainstream attention.

The other consideration was that Breath of the Wild is a massive game, so doing something a bit more… “long term” was perhaps in order. With that in mind, then, I welcome you to the first installment of The Zelda Diaries, chronicling my journey through this ruined Hyrule, and the thoughts that occurred to me along the way.

Continue reading The Zelda Diaries: Part 1 – A New Beginning →

Announcements, Community

Around the Network

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Happy weekend! And happy holidays to me!

Yes, for the next week I’m officially on holiday from the day job, and the wife and I are taking a nice trip to Center Parcs to rest, relax and possibly look at some owls. In the meantime, though, I have some videos queued up to post over on YouTube over the course of the next week, and I’m going to get at least some articles written while I’m away.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves, aren’t we? Let’s see what you might have missed in the last week or so!

Continue reading Around the Network →

Atari A to Z, Videos

Atari A to Z Flashback: Skydiver

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It’s time for another simple but addictive game from the early days of Atari today: this time around it’s the turn of Skydiver.

Skydiver is slightly more complex than Canyon Bomber, which we saw a few episodes back, but it’s still simple enough that anyone can pick it up with minimal explanation. Mastering it is, of course, another matter entirely, but it was ever thus in these early arcade games!

Skydiver is also one of the noisiest games Atari ever created. Be sure to turn your volume down a bit if you’re playing this one yourself!

Find a full archive of all the Atari A to Z videos on the official site.

Essentials

Namco Essentials: Libble Rabble

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At the time of writing, people are getting seriously excited for PlatinumGames’ next release, Astral Chain — and with good reason!

As the release approaches, we’re starting to learn more and more about the game: what we can expect from it, what sort of experience it will be and what its main inspirations are.

In the latter case, an interview by Polygon reveals that a particularly strong influence on director Takahisa Taura was an obscure 1983 release from Namco, developed by the creator of Pac-Man. I give you Libble Rabble.

Continue reading Namco Essentials: Libble Rabble →

The best of overlooked and underappreciated computer and video games, from yesterday and today.