(Retro) What have you been playing this week?

[Shozuki]

I'm still hopelessly addicted to Panzer Dragoon on the Saturn. Finished it a ton of times at this point, but I find it so charming and somehow very addictive. I simply love it.

[vanpeebles]

I've had my upgraded second processor BBC B+ out this week. I've been playing Tube Elite and also Elite-a which is a special redone version for the BBC which has loads of upgrades including the ability to buy ships. You start off in a lowly Adder with no lasers. Me and Prinny tried to get a trading route going but got shot up a good few times. One time I took down 3 pirates only for a gang of 6 more to turn up in revenge.

Also been playing Exile which is a game I didn't know from back in the day but is very impressive:

"The artificial intelligence features innovative routines such as creatures demonstrating awareness of nearby noises, line-of-sight vision through the divaricate caves and tunnels, and memory of where the player was last seen, etc.

Game physics

Exile contains a physics model with gravity, inertia, mass, explosions, shockwaves, water, earth, wind, and fire. The game engine simulates all three of Newton's laws of motion, with many puzzles and gameplay elements emerging from a few physical principles. For example, the player may experience difficulty when attempting to lift a heavy boulder across a windy shaft with a jet pack, or of trying to keep a glass of water from spilling while being pushed around by a pestering bird."

[noobish hat]

I've really wanted to play Exile ever since I saw it in Retro Gamer, but I don't have a BBC

[vanpeebles]

Emulate it!

[Kit]

Or this one?

This swine!

Needed a fair bit of luck (sometimes you shoot him and nothing seems to register!) but managed to beat him last night after a few goes. Trick seems to be to use the super jump (jump/spin/levitation thing) when he goes into his second form then hang on the wall and absolutely unload on him with the rockets.

Made a bit more progress after that (liked the music in the underwater part of the ship xD) and I'm now fighting the robot boss posted above for the second time in electrified water - his rocket attack is messing me up badly!

[noobish hat]

Are you playing Super or Zero Mission next?

[Kit]

Which would you recommend to play first? If I could find Zero Mission cheap I think that's the one I'd go with. Shame they didn't release super for the GBA. :/

[noobish hat]

I would have recommended playing Super Metroid before everything else! I always wanted to see it on GBA, along with some other SNES classics that never made it.

[wakka]

Sorry to go back so far as to dig up this quote, but I do find this quite interesting.

The MGS 2 story was so convoluted. I'm not even sure what happened in the end - it was all real, right? but then why did Campbell go mental on the codec? I don't know.

I actually think the story of MGS2, while ridiculously convoluted and perhaps not the best choice, and is actually quite interesting and prescient. The idea is that, instead of the enemy Metal Gear being a giant walking nuclear battle tank, it's a computer for censorship. That's what the Big Shell is the covert housing for, a computer that the Patriots (the Illuminati-type secret group of 12 people running the world behind the scenes) plan to use to control the flow of information around the world via the internet. It's so they can remove any reference to themselves and ensure that the web is not a threat to their secrecy and dominance.

The Metal Gear Rays exist solely to protect Arsenal Gear (the censorship computer). I just think it was really cool that Kojima made the story go in this totally unexpected direction, all to do with control of information rather than firepower. Campbell went crazy at the end because it wasn't really Roy Campbell - he was a simulation of Roy Campbell generated by Arsenal Gear's AI. Roy Campbell isn't actually in MGS2 at any point. When he goes crazy it's because Snake (I think it's Snake who does it) has released the computer virus into Arsenal's AI.

I recently replayed the game as part of the MGS HD Collection on Vita. What's really cool is that when you know Roy Campbell's an AI, you can tell RIGHT FROM THE START. From the first few exchanges Raiden has with Campbell via CODEC, you can tell they're writing him as this cold, emotionless AI!

[mainvein]

super metroid may be my next retro game to complete now i have an everdrive, always wanted to play it :-) i played on my new 3do the other night, burning soldier, killing time, fifa and alone in the dark got played. need to find some good games i think, any recommendations other than need for speed, street fighter2 and road rash?

[Kit]

I actually think the story of MGS2, while ridiculously convoluted and perhaps not the best choice, and is actually quite interesting and prescient. The idea is that, instead of the enemy Metal Gear being a giant walking nuclear battle tank, it's a computer for censorship. That's what the Big Shell is the covert housing for, a computer that the Patriots (the Illuminati-type secret group of 12 people running the world behind the scenes) plan to use to control the flow of information around the world via the internet. It's so they can remove any reference to themselves and ensure that the web is not a threat to their secrecy and dominance.

The Metal Gear Rays exist solely to protect Arsenal Gear (the censorship computer). I just think it was really cool that Kojima made the story go in this totally unexpected direction, all to do with control of information rather than firepower. Campbell went crazy at the end because it wasn't really Roy Campbell - he was a simulation of Roy Campbell generated by Arsenal Gear's AI. Roy Campbell isn't actually in MGS2 at any point. When he goes crazy it's because Snake (I think it's Snake who does it) has released the computer virus into Arsenal's AI.

I recently replayed the game as part of the MGS HD Collection on Vita. What's really cool is that when you know Roy Campbell's an AI, you can tell RIGHT FROM THE START. From the first few exchanges Raiden has with Campbell via CODEC, you can tell they're writing him as this cold, emotionless AI!

Well explained, Randicoot! You've made me want to replay it now!

Personally I loved the new mechanics (peaking round corners, the stun darts, the 'frisk' (?) mechanic) all were great fun, but I think the narrative came hot on the heels of the Matrix and just about every game/film/tv series were doing simulated reality storylines - was too much of the same thing for me!

I do remember reading a few years ago though that Kojima wanted to go back and remake MGS 2 which I'd be well up for - a more streamlined story in the fox engine? I'd buy that in a heart beat!

[nakamura]

Sorry to go back so far as to dig up this quote, but I do find this quite interesting.



I actually think the story of MGS2, while ridiculously convoluted and perhaps not the best choice, and is actually quite interesting and prescient. The idea is that, instead of the enemy Metal Gear being a giant walking nuclear battle tank, it's a computer for censorship. That's what the Big Shell is the covert housing for, a computer that the Patriots (the Illuminati-type secret group of 12 people running the world behind the scenes) plan to use to control the flow of information around the world via the internet. It's so they can remove any reference to themselves and ensure that the web is not a threat to their secrecy and dominance.

The Metal Gear Rays exist solely to protect Arsenal Gear (the censorship computer). I just think it was really cool that Kojima made the story go in this totally unexpected direction, all to do with control of information rather than firepower. Campbell went crazy at the end because it wasn't really Roy Campbell - he was a simulation of Roy Campbell generated by Arsenal Gear's AI. Roy Campbell isn't actually in MGS2 at any point. When he goes crazy it's because Snake (I think it's Snake who does it) has released the computer virus into Arsenal's AI.

I recently replayed the game as part of the MGS HD Collection on Vita. What's really cool is that when you know Roy Campbell's an AI, you can tell RIGHT FROM THE START. From the first few exchanges Raiden has with Campbell via CODEC, you can tell they're writing him as this cold, emotionless AI!

Even though I have completed the game several time and know the plot, I really enjoyed this write up. The main issue I have with the plot was the pacing at the end. It just snowballed and felt they ran out of time.

[Kit]

Even though I have completed the game several time and know the plot, I really enjoyed this write up. The main issue I have with the plot was the pacing at the end. It just snowballed and felt they ran out of time.

Spot on. Far too many twists and turns and it all takes place within a really short period of time (gameplay wise). Total information overload! I'd also say solidus, while having the potential to be a really great villain (just look at him, he screams badass), turned out to be one of the most underwhelming bad guys in the entire series. The only standout baddie was Vamp.

[nakamura]

Was Vamp a tranny?

[noobish hat]

Spoilers much?