Tag Archives: gameplay

Psikyo Shooting Stars, Shmups

Sol Divide: Blast of the Titans

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While Psikyo could have easily stuck to being a heavily armed one-trick pony with the success and popularity of Strikers 1945 and its two sequels, the company decided to branch out and get a bit experimental in a number of its games.

A particularly potent example of this comes in the form of 1996’s Sol Divide, an unusual and underappreciated game that does things very differently from many other shooters out there — particularly its contemporaries from its time of original release.

Does “experimental” equate to “worth checking out for more than five minutes out of curiosity”, though? Let’s take a closer look, since like many of its stablemates, you can enjoy it as part of the Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha collection on Nintendo Switch.

Continue reading Sol Divide: Blast of the Titans →

Final Fantasy II, Final Fantasy Marathon, Videos

Final Fantasy Marathon: OHKO – Final Fantasy II #10

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One of the issues people have with Final Fantasy II is that its progression system can make it a little tricky to determine what “level” you are.

This means it can be quite easy to go into a new situation either woefully underpowered or vastly overpowered — though let’s be honest about this, the latter option has always been part of the fun of role-playing games, hasn’t it?

At this point, an encounter in Leviathan’s stomach on the way to track down the Ultima Tome would seem to confirm that yes, indeed, we have taken the latter option. Oh well. No turning back now!

Atari A to Z, Videos

Atari ST A to Z: Wicked

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Wicked is a great game that I used to really like when I was younger… even if it did freak me out a bit.

An occult-themed strategic shooter with horror elements, Wicked is a seriously unusual and highly original game that I’ve never seen anything quite like ever since. Truly, it was an untamed and highly experimental time in the games business!

Anyway, let’s revisit it after all these years… has it still got that ol’ black magic?

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Videos, Warriors All-Stars, Warriors Wednesday

Warriors Wednesday: Redhead Tactician – Warriors All-Stars #20

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Our second playthrough of Warriors All-Stars gets well and truly underway as we get to grips with Sophie’s moveset, and look at expanding Tamaki’s forces.

On today’s agenda is Mitsunari Ishida, a vibrant-haired, brilliant tactical mind with his own strong opinions on how best to wage war. How will he get along with the rather flighty Sophie… and the somewhat more grounded Plachta?

Better punch a whole load of dudes in the face to find out!

Psikyo Shooting Stars

Strikers 1945 III: Leaving on a Jet Plane

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Strikers 1945 III, also known as Strikers 1999, does things a little bit differently to its two predecessors. Not a lot differently, mind, but enough to make it a distinctive experience.

For starters, we’ve shot 54 years into the “future” — well, more accurately, what was the “present day”, since this game actually released for the first time in 1999 — and are now taking on mechanical monsters that have been possessed by nanites. We’re flying modern jet fighters. And we’re dealing with a seriously escalated difficulty level.

Sounds like fun, right? Let’s strap in and get supersonic with this next installment — which, like its predecessors, is included in the Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha bundle for Nintendo Switch.

Continue reading Strikers 1945 III: Leaving on a Jet Plane →

Final Fantasy VII Remake

Final Fantasy VII Remake Demo: Yes

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Sometime in 1997. I am in my last year of compulsory education. My brother, ten years my senior, has come home from America to visit, on vacation from his job on Electronic Gaming Monthly and the Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. I always enjoy this, because he tells me all about the interesting new games that are coming out for exciting new platforms like the Sony PlayStation.

“Have you heard of Final Fantasy VII?” he asks. I respond in the negative. I had a feeling I’d heard the name Final Fantasy before, perhaps in the Super NES magazine Super Control that his ex-girlfriend used to work on back before they split — and before he left our green and pleasant isle for pastures new — but I’d never really paid it much mind. He seemed excited, though — and given that his position meant that he saw a lot of new games each and every day, this was enough to make me pay close attention.

“It’s the only game that I’ve ever seen make someone cry,” he said. I knew immediately that I had to play it. And thus a switch flipped, and what would become the Pete of today was born.

Continue reading Final Fantasy VII Remake Demo: Yes →

Atari A to Z, Videos

Atari A to Z Flashback: Combat Two

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One of the coolest things about the Atari Flashback devices and compilations that have been released over the course of the last few years is the number of prototypes included.

In many cases, these prototypes were complete games that just didn’t get released for one reason or another; such is the case with Combat Two, a game originally set to come out in 1984, but which was a victim of the great crash of ’83.

Fortunately, we can play it today — and it’s an interesting twist on the tank battle formula of the original Combat, offering a very different competitive experience for two players to enjoy.

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Final Fantasy II, Final Fantasy Marathon, Videos

Final Fantasy Marathon: The Search for the Crystal Rod – Final Fantasy II #9

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In today’s episode of Final Fantasy II, Firion and the gang return to the Mysidian Cave in search of the Crystal Rod.

This whole sequence shows how Final Fantasy II has a few interesting “puzzles” along the way where things you do in one location can have a knock-on effect elsewhere in the game. While the game at times “feels” less linear than other Final Fantasy titles, bits like this remind you that you’re still being railroaded down a main scenario.

With any luck, soon we’ll have the Ultima tome in our grasp. And with even more luck, they remembered to fix how the Ultima spell works for this version of Final Fantasy II… because it sure didn’t work properly in the Famicom original!

Psikyo Shooting Stars, Shmups

Strikers 1945 II: If It Ain’t Broke…

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Strikers 1945 II is the sequel to Strikers 1945, unsurprisingly. And, to cut a long story short, if you enjoyed Strikers 1945, you will definitely enjoy Strikers 1945 II.

On the surface, the two games appear very similar to one another. And… well, to be perfectly honest, they are very similar to one another, but Strikers 1945 II adds a few little tweaks and refinements to the mix as well as providing a new lineup of aircraft to pilot, new enemy superweapons to blow to smithereens and, once again, some of the most satisfying shooting action you’ll ever enjoy.

Let’s take a closer look at this classic blaster from Psikyo, now readily available as part of the Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha collection for Nintendo Switch.

Continue reading Strikers 1945 II: If It Ain’t Broke… →

Atari A to Z, Videos

Atari ST A to Z: Vixen

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Today we have a game that got banned in Germany. Not for the usual reasons, either; no excessive violence or Nazi imagery here.

Nope, Vixen by Martech got banned because its name sounded a bit like the German word for “wanking”. It subsequently did manage to get a German release under the name She-Fox. Meanwhile, UK high street retailer Boots refused to stock the game because of the boobies on the box art.

And you thought we had problems these days!

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