Game of the Week Club

_Paul · 01/29/2010, 04:18 AM

Book clubs are always a popular thing - where people choose a book to read then discuss it afterwards. So how about doing this for PC Engine games? We could pick a different game every week, then try and get some play-time in on it and post our comments. You couldn't have long RPGs or obscure Mah-Jong games, but there are plenty of others out there. It's not a rush to try to complete the games, just play and discuss, so we are all playing the same games at the same time.

Of course everyone might lose interest after the first week, but it would be fun to try. Is anyone interested in this?

Tatsujin · 01/29/2010, 04:22 AM

sure. what game will we choose for round 1?

SignOfZeta · 01/29/2010, 04:22 AM

I like this.

I nominate you "game club president" so that you can decide the games ahead of time and give us a list so we can find a copy. If I can't find the game I for one will pirate with impunity.

Suggestion: Make it bi-weekly.

_Paul · 01/29/2010, 06:08 AM

Two weeks would have both plus and minus points.
Plus: More time to get locate the game. More opportunity to play and discuss it.
Minus: Harder to remember to set a new game than if it was weekly. Discussion might fade out within a week.

I'm happy to go with whatever the majority opinion is on this.

Although I like the idea of having the next game a surprise, but I suppose we could have Current Game / Next Game to make things easier.

Sinistron · 01/29/2010, 09:01 AM

This is a great idea- even if I don't get any play time in (busy as hell lately) because it will be nice reading thoughts on weekly games. Again- great idea.

I don't see anyone losing interest after the first week- it would go by a week-by-week basis. We all have our favorites, we all have games we tend to avoid, and we all have games that we like but never get much time with.

_Paul · 01/29/2010, 12:54 PM

OK, I think I stick to the one per week to begin with, as that keeps things rolling on nicely, but I'll keep in mind the suggestion of bi-weekly for later. We shouldn't just have good games either, it will be just as interesting to talk about those of lower quality. For the moment I'll start picking the games every Friday, but if I forget or don't have chance to log in and it gets to Saturday, anyone else is welcome to choose the game for the following week.

Might as well start the ball rolling...

This week's game is
DAISENPU
/daisenpu067322656.gif
(or Daisenpu custom if you don't have it)

(next week: Schbibin Man)

Otaking · 01/29/2010, 06:26 PM

ok cool sounds good I'm in,
was currently playing Legend of Hero Tonma but will switch to playing this.

Ceti Alpha · 01/29/2010, 11:04 PM

_Paul · 01/30/2010, 11:14 AM

Graphically, I've always liked the Toaplan style. Very much looking like Raiden and Kyukyoku Tiger, there's something about the way they shade the backgrounds that works really well. They're especially good at broken or cracked stuff - like the broken bridge and canyon walls. Even the plain areas of ground don't look too bad.

The music is kind of cool to begin with, it kicks off into a great beat, but seems to get stuck in a rut after that. It's kind of like the original Afterburner tune that lacked any melody. It's not too bad while you're playing but reduces long term listenability.

One thing always makes me nervous in shoot 'em ups - tanks. There's something about them. You always know the buggers are going to shoot just when you are closing in on them, and there are a hell of a lot of them in this game. It's kind of strange really. Kyukyoku Tiger has a varied spread of ground and air enemies, but Daisenpu seems to focus on the ground based enemies, an interesting choice.

One thing I like is the restart points. I died on the boss tank that splits in two, and the game had the good grace to restart me after it. A bit cheap perhaps, but I wasn't complaining, because I found accurate bullet dodging was sort of tricky because of the shape of your plane. It might be all in my mind, but I find it a lot easier when it's a lumpy spaceship without wings that stick out and attract bullets like magnets. Saying that, generally not too hard so far (although I did put it on easy) and quite fun. It's not the fastest paced of shooters, but the action is fairly continuous and it doesn't seem to have any low spots, unlike Gunhed. I'd call it 'solid' rather than 'spectacular' so far.

Vecanti · 01/30/2010, 05:09 PM

Good game so far, though I'm getting confused on the level layout.

termis · 01/30/2010, 11:13 PM

Awesome idea. I'll also take this chance to pirate away if I don't have the game. I also find myself being a bit harsher than most PCE fans on most game reviews, but I figure that'd just make things a bit more interesting.

Anyway, so I tried out the Daisenpu Custom for a few hours, and overall, was very underwhelmed. It's a CD-ROM2 game, so I don't know if the card version is better (I get the feeling it may be -- I was really seeing how more RAM could've helped this title), but carrying on...

First of all, I found the choice of colors to be pretty drab/off. For example, quite a bit of lanscape was in this turquoise color, and I don't recall seeing many turquoise landscape in real life. Not to mention, there aren't a lot of detail in the landscape -- some are completely flat, so there are times when you're flying over a single-solid color landscape like in the pic below. It almost looks like you're flying over calm water at best (with tanks on top!), or at worst, just lazy development -- I vote for the latter. Sorry for the crap cell phone pic, but my point should be evident in the pic.

The animation wasn't much better, as explosions are a quick firecracker-like pop, and that's it -- no crater left in the hole like the MD (and presumably, the arcade) version. When you release a bomb, you just see like a solid explosion for a few seconds, not much else (no bomb dropping down or anything like that).

The music was decent -- a nice tune that keeps an atmosphere of suspense -- the bright point of this title in my opinion.

As for the gameplay, I found this one to be a bit tricky. There's definitely something challenging about shooting away at ground based foes who don't have far movement range, but because of that, you tend to close in on them to get rid of them, but then they might shoot off a pea round just at you're about an inch away from them. And even some of the minor peons take a good 5-6 shots, so that makes things even more difficult. The power-ups definitely help, but not enough to overcome the handicap you have against the multi-hit taking foes, and it really takes some skill and/or rote memorization to get your way through far in the game. I didn't notice the squadron of help you got in youtube clips in the HuCard and MD versions -- that definitely would've helped in certain areas.

Overall, this title doesn't get mentioned often when it comes to good shooters for the PCE, and for a good reason. I'd say it's definitely in the lower-leagues compared to the many alternatives for the system.

shubibiman · 01/31/2010, 06:17 AM

Compared to other Toaplan games, I think Daisenpu lacks variety in its enemy range. The music starts off very nicely but then it gets very repetitive. As termis mentionned, the landscapes are not very detailled and it's often hard to say whether you're in the first, second or third level.
The special power up is very interesting though, as you can try to keep as many planes as possible. It can be very tricky at times but overall, I'm OK with it. As usual in Toaplan shooters, the boss are very hard and shoot very fast which is not cool when you know how slow your plane is. It's far from games like Tatsujin and Kyukyoku Tiger.

_Paul · 02/01/2010, 01:33 PM

I had a quick go of Custom and the graphics in the card version seem better and more varied. I could swear that a big chunk of level one was removed from the CD version.

The more I play it the more humdrum it seems to be. There's nothing exactly wrong with it, but it fails to generate any excitement, probably because nothing actually stands out either. Other shooters have the hook of a catchy soundtrack or varied/interesting graphics but Daisenpu seems to sit bang in the middle of good and bad.

Tatsujin · 02/01/2010, 07:32 PM

same as some peeps already stated before, the game is lacking in pep. and I mean a lot of pep! very untypical for a pce conversion of a toaplan shooter.
the explosions are mignon and short, the BGs repetitive and dull und the smart bomb ain't that smart. seems to be more a sorry bomb. at least in a technical point of view.

it's the pure contrary of a kyuukyoku tiger. the cd one also has some terrible flickers here and there, especially when bigger enemies approaching.

there is also no boss excitement. he enters the screen very unspectaculary like every other enemy, you beat him and it just goes on like nothing speciel happened.

and that the card version is superior to the cd one, we could already see in the comparison thread. but it doesn't save too much of the game.

it could have been a very good shootie on the pce, if just AV would have spent bit more effort in it, like they did for some other games before. ok, not like thunder blade probably.

let's call it DAISENPOO from now on!

Arkhan Asylum · 02/02/2010, 09:08 PM

I fired it up for about an hour.....

its as "meh" as I remembered. It seems like they wanted to quickly get a airplaney shooting game out the door and forgot to finish it. It is kind of mind numbing to play and the scenery is barely Turbo worthy......older Huey games offer more depth/eye candy/reflex sensations.

if it helps drive the point home any more, I already started playing schbibin man for next week...

Sinistron · 02/02/2010, 10:06 PM

This thread got me playing again- for the first time in at least a month. Didn't play too long- though it was fun for a bit, then got a little bland and didn't make we want to keep pushing further. The shield of planes is pretty cool- pretty original for pce shooties- what I don't like much is the sluggish speed, the monotonous enemies, and that it's pretty difficult to dodge in between some of the bosses' spray shots with that big hit zone due to your plane's wings- better to avoid the spray shots altogether and that just isn't much fun- looping around bosses like a pansy.

_Paul · 02/03/2010, 03:29 AM

I think this is the only overhead shooter where I've used Space Harrier tactics to dodge bullets.

_Paul · 02/05/2010, 12:19 PM

This week...

KAISŌ CHŌJIN SCHBIBIN MAN
/schbibinman020263787.gif

Next week: W-Ring (Double Ring)

Tatsujin · 02/05/2010, 12:26 PM

I wait for next week

runinruder · 02/05/2010, 12:27 PM

I did up a Shubibinman review (with screens) pretty recently. And here it is:

http://www.thebrothersduomazov.com/search/label/Shubibinman

exodus · 02/05/2010, 02:50 PM

I finally played the first shubibinman just a month or so ago, so I'll go off that.

I really liked it, even though it's clunky, has poor physics, and is rather "early famicom"-like in design. The humor is amuses me, and the backgrounds are kind of fun, if a bit drab. Ultimately I'm just happy any time anybody says SHUBIBEEEEEEEEEEAM

the second and third are better, but the first is fun all the way through...I'll admit I had to cheat on the final boss though. Anyone beat him without cheating?

M1Savage · 02/05/2010, 11:05 PM

I like the game of the week idea.

Hadn't played the game in years before today. Not a terrible game by any means, but the sloppy control was just as I remembered it. Third time was the charm for this series.

shubibiman · 02/06/2010, 04:00 PM

This game is total crap to me. The hitbox is just ridiculously bad. Against the dragon bosses, when I jump and hit them, I must be litteraly meters away if I don't want to be hit, and still I can hit that sucker. Moreover, the beam is not very helpful as you can't move when using it.

Sinistron · 02/06/2010, 05:32 PM

Quote from: exodus on 02/05/2010, 02:50 PMthe second and third are better, but the first is fun all the way through...I'll admit I had to cheat on the final boss though. Anyone beat him without cheating?

I beat this game some months ago- how exactly did you cheat?

_Paul · 02/07/2010, 04:40 AM

This is one of the early games I got for the Engine, and is memorable to me for being the only game I got by trading another PC Engine game for (I have learned since never to get rid of games, even if the trade was with Power Drift). So naturally I put a bit of time into it and it was well worth the effort.

It's easy to dismiss this game for its faults - repetitive graphics, slippy controls, crap bosses etc but underneath there is a really good platform game. To me this almost feels like a bridge between the old-style 8-bit platformers like Jet Set Willy and the newer games like PC Kid. It requires good dodging skills and very fast reactions as it throws everything at you - platforms move in unexpected ways (or are sometimes invisible), rockets shoot in from the edge of the screen, spiked balls zip around to catch you out. Practice helps and knowing what each level is going to bring is essential in making good progress; as you play more it is quite satisfying to be able to dodge just at the right places. Your schbibin has limited use, but in the right places it can clear some awkward robots ahead and give you some breathing space (as is especially useful for an easy kill on the dragon boss).

Another good thing is the way you can choose your route. There is no need to play every level to complete the game - in fact, once you have learned which levels to play to gain power-ups (such as a powerful sword and schbibin upgrade) then you can get through the game pretty fast (I used to frequently pop it on to complete it back in the day, although I've long forgotten the optimal route and need to relearn it).

To me the downsides are far outweighed by the fun of accurate platforming. The graphics are a bit basic, but this was an early game. The bosses are repeated (with a little variation in attacks) but are mostly pointless. Control of your character takes a little getting used to, learning to duck to stop quickly is an essential skill, and the hit detection is poor, especially on bosses - but certainly not game breaking once you know to be careful.

Music is lound and screechy, but I really like it. Great sampled drums typical of Masaya and lots of sampled speech which was rather a novelty at the time and the ending music is really cool.

esteban · 02/07/2010, 09:29 AM

Ha! Late to the party, but I like this idea. I know we are going to do this "weekly, but I don't know if I can keep up with it. I'll try, though.

Quick question 1: For the folks with Daisenpu Custom CD (I have it, haven't played it in a long time).... don't all the Red Book songs sound the same? Or am I MISremembering things? They are separate tracks, IIRC, but sound the same.

As for SHOCKMAN 1 (as I refer to it), I never really gave this game a chance... but will I want to play it today when I have been having so much fun with Gyruss on NES?

exodus · 02/07/2010, 02:23 PM

Quote from: Sinistron on 02/06/2010, 05:32 PMI beat this game some months ago- how exactly did you cheat?

I used an invincibility code. As I recall (it's been a couple months maybe) there's no code on gamefaqs, but I just tried the code from Shockman/Shubibinman 2, and it worked.

To me the most amazing thing about this game is that it did well enough for them to make a sequel. It seems so poor overall that I'm surprised. Glad though!

Turbo D · 02/07/2010, 06:00 PM

SHUBIBINMAN (Japanese)
Stage Skip    Pause the game. press L, R, Sel, R, L, Sel, Sel, then unpause the game.
Invincibility    Pause, U, U, Sel, D, II, Sel, Unpause (must be done for every stage).
Death?!?!    Pause, R, Sel, L, Sel, Sel, Unpause, Death.

_Paul · 02/12/2010, 03:55 PM

This week:

W-RING (THE DOUBLE RINGS)

/wring048088992.gif

Next week: Volfied

_Paul · 02/15/2010, 01:14 PM

W-Ring isn't a game that gets much of a mention which is a pity because I quite like it. While it doesn't do anything out of the ordinary, it has enough to make it one of those games that I have a soft spot for. The graphics are pretty nice, fairly varied from level to level - sure it's no R-Type visually, but the liberal use of colour cycling makes the whole game feel very active and alive. The water level is particularly cool. I also really like the music as well, which has a certain quality to it, almost Darius-like in places, which is really appealing.

I played through on Beginner mode and completing the game is stupidly easy. But I also had fun doing it., and there are also Normal and Expert modes for those who want to test their reflexes.

If you've not played this before, it's really worth giving it the benefit of the doubt.

M1Savage · 02/15/2010, 11:32 PM

Very strange and interesting music in some of the levels. Still haven't finished but was worth trying out again. Thanks for the reminder!

esteban · 02/17/2010, 12:41 PM

Quote from: guest on 02/12/2010, 03:55 PMThis week:

W-RING (THE DOUBLE RINGS)

/wring048088992.gif

Next week: Volfied

OK, who wants to sell me both of these HuCards? I'm serious.

shubibiman · 02/17/2010, 04:59 PM

I like this game. The design is quite unusual for a PCE shooter. It sometimes looks like a european computer game from the late 1980's or early 1990's. The ship and other sprites are rather small but in general I find it not too bad visually. The weaponry is not bad either.
On the downside, the game is wayyy too easy.

_Paul · 02/17/2010, 05:19 PM

Quote from: shubibiman on 02/17/2010, 04:59 PMIt sometimes looks like a european computer game from the late 1980's or early 1990's.

Yep, I noticed that some of the graphics were almost Amiga-like in their shading in places.

Sinistron · 02/17/2010, 05:38 PM

I love both this game and next week's. I think next week's will have me turning on the turbo again- be nice to see how far people can get in Volfied...

Arkhan Asylum · 02/17/2010, 11:10 PM

i like w-rings level layout and the general feel of it. Its control is pretty smooth and the action is fluid. The galloping music makes it even funner. Its the envy of every Amiga shooter.

Plus the over abundance of blue in some levels is nice

(like the screen shot). I like blue in games!

_Paul · 02/19/2010, 02:18 PM

This week:

VOLFIED
/volfied024952446.gif

Next week: Metal Stoker

Arkhan Asylum · 02/22/2010, 10:14 AM

its volfiev. tard

whats not to like about this game. Its colorful, addicting, and obnoxious. If you like these kind of games ...

shubibiman · 02/22/2010, 01:30 PM

Addicting is the word. I love the concept of the Qix games. This one is no exception to the rule.

Arkhan Asylum · 02/22/2010, 03:38 PM

Quote from: shubibiman on 02/22/2010, 01:30 PMAddicting is the word. I love the concept of the Qix games. This one is no exception to the rule.

It reminds me of that good ol' JezzBall for Win3.1

Man was that a kick ass game.

exodus · 02/22/2010, 05:34 PM

addictive is the word. addicting, meanwhile, is a colloquialism.

shubibiman · 02/23/2010, 05:11 AM

I knew there was a mistake somewhere.

Arkhan Asylum · 02/23/2010, 10:34 AM

who needs grammar when we have volfiev

NecroPhile · 02/23/2010, 10:45 AM

Quote from: Psycho Arkhan on 02/22/2010, 10:14 AMits volfiev. tard

Speaking of 'tards.... it's VolfieV. Get it right.

_Paul · 02/23/2010, 01:11 PM

I like Volfied, but I find that the nature of the game puts an upper limit on how fun it can be. When I first played it, I found myself just rushing to fill the screen and that didn't work out too well. Carefully planning to get the pods in the hope of a time-stopper is the way to go. Graphics are OK but sound is disappointing with no music as you play. I think the game would have benefitted greatly from a password system (assuming there are a lot of levels), but it's still fun in short bursts - I would have liked to have seen a CD version with more interesting backgrounds and some nice music tracks.

Sinistron · 02/23/2010, 01:14 PM

I've always been a fan of Qix so I love this- it's one of the first hueys I rushed out to get after getting a converter... It can get a bit challenging- but as said above it's a great game to just throw on the screen every now and then- I find it rather relaxing actually- I'm hoping to play some this weekend- how far can you guys get in this?

shubibiman · 02/23/2010, 02:18 PM

Yeah, a hentai Qix game on the DUO would have been great

_Paul · 02/23/2010, 02:54 PM

Quote from: Sinistron on 02/23/2010, 01:14 PMI've always been a fan of Qix so I love this- it's one of the first hueys I rushed out to get after getting a converter... It can get a bit challenging- but as said above it's a great game to just throw on the screen every now and then- I find it rather relaxing actually- I'm hoping to play some this weekend- how far can you guys get in this?

I can't get past round 7 at the moment. That big ship is a bitch, I swear it follows me.

shubibiman · 02/23/2010, 03:09 PM

I just went to round 8 and this round is just insane. No bonus, just loads of enemies.

_Paul · 02/25/2010, 02:27 PM

Level 7 is beginning to frustrate me greatly.

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Game of the Week Club