Game of the Week Club

runinruder · 04/10/2010, 04:36 PM

Incredible Aldynes review and screens:

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

awack · 04/10/2010, 05:20 PM

Bought this game the year it was released, i don't know of a more impressive horizontal shooter for a home console at the time of its release.

In my opinion, it has the best soundtrack of any hucard game, good detail, parallax scrolling, huge bosses, scaling sprites and good soundfx. For me, the gameplay is trial and error, very different than say Gate of Thunder.

Ceti Alpha · 04/13/2010, 11:21 AM

Nice review, runin. The final Aldynes boss looks strangely familiar, though.

Aero Blasters, perhaps? hehe

Seriously though, some of those bosses look amazing.

_Paul · 04/13/2010, 12:37 PM

I think I'm the only person on the planet that doesn't have much interest in Aldynes. Music is nice, sound could be better, graphics are very uneven and the gameplay has never really sucked me in. I've tried to like it, but it just isn't for me.

nat · 04/13/2010, 09:36 PM

Graphics uneven? I think the graphics in Aldynes are extremely consistent throughout, which is to say, great.

_Paul · 04/14/2010, 03:31 AM

Quote from: nat on 04/13/2010, 09:36 PMGraphics uneven? I think the graphics in Aldynes are extremely consistent throughout, which is to say, great.

Great background:
/aldynes040148507.gif

Good background
/aldynes060232398.gif

Crap background:
/aldynes050195485.gif

futurematt · 04/14/2010, 04:11 AM

LOL!!

Arkhan Asylum · 04/14/2010, 08:23 AM

I second that LOL.

When you compare em like that, yeah, it sure is unevennnnnn.....

but, its still a kick ass game!

and the best HuCard exclusive EVER.

even though it needs a super grafx to be played

Turbo D · 04/14/2010, 11:50 PM

I always thought it to be a little grainy and brown. Like the developers took a screen grab, rolled it in sand, and put it back into the hucard.

Tatsujin · 04/15/2010, 01:01 AM

Quote from: turbo D on 04/14/2010, 11:50 PMLike the developers took a screen grab, rolled it in sand, and put it back into the hucard.

AFFF: analogue filthy filter function

nat · 04/15/2010, 02:09 AM

Quote from: guest on 04/14/2010, 03:31 AM
Quote from: nat on 04/13/2010, 09:36 PMGraphics uneven? I think the graphics in Aldynes are extremely consistent throughout, which is to say, great.
Great background:

Good background

Crap background:

You're being silly, right? You could compare just about any shooter like that and make it appear that way, even, say, Gate of Thunder. I'm far too lazy to play into GoT in an emulator to take screenshots to illustrate my point, but I stand by my original assessment. In the "crappy background" shot for example, there is so much stuff going on the in foreground that it's a foregone conclusion the developers intentionally left things comparatively simple on the most distant plane. And that's just it: there is nothing wrong with the background in the given example, it just doesn't have a whole lot going on. It's the antithesis of the first example, not due to poor art or "uneven graphics," but to actual stage design.

_Paul · 04/15/2010, 03:27 AM

Call it intentional if you like, but I just think that third background is just fugly and not up to the standard set by the others.

futurematt · 04/15/2010, 04:56 AM

Paul - how many levels of parallax does that top background have - if it's over 5 I think we can safely say it's a great background. The bottom screen, that only looks like it has one or two layers. On a purely objective level, therefore we could all agree that the background 'depth' is uneven. ?

Still, most shooters do have good and bad levels - it might be cool to take the 'best and worst' from others shooters for a laugh!

Tatsujin · 04/15/2010, 05:37 AM

Quote from: futurematt on 04/15/2010, 04:56 AMPaul - how many levels of parallax does that top background have - if it's over 5 I think we can safely say it's a great background.

actually and technically spoken, it can't have more than two ;)

Arkhan Asylum · 04/15/2010, 07:43 AM

Quote from: Tatsujin on 04/15/2010, 05:37 AM
Quote from: futurematt on 04/15/2010, 04:56 AMPaul - how many levels of parallax does that top background have - if it's over 5 I think we can safely say it's a great background.
actually and technically spoken, it can't have more than two ;)

Sure it can! You can fanagle 3 layers of parallax out of a regular PCE game, possibly/probably more if you are batshit insane.

So supergrafx by nature should be able to rock 6 layers.

Unfortunately, while I like parallax, I don't swear by it. Alot of parallaxless games are better than parallaxy ones. Its just a matter of graphics and visuals that sometimes doesn't make the gameplay outstanding.

Like Shadow of the Beast. Great parallax, but gets a "meh" in the gameplay category from lots of people.

_Paul · 04/15/2010, 12:18 PM

Quote from: futurematt on 04/15/2010, 04:56 AMPaul - how many levels of parallax does that top background have

9

Arkhan Asylum · 04/15/2010, 12:41 PM

Yeah, see, bat shit insane.

awack · 04/15/2010, 02:37 PM

As time goes by, i care less about parallax scrolling and more about art work and animation for some reason, but when i played this back in 91, it was pretty amazing, similar to the canyon level in Musha,but better..hell, the first time i saw that level in musha, i dropped the controller and grabbed both sides of the TV because i thought i was going to fall into the lava steam at the bottom of the conyon

One cool thing about the this level, is the horizontal and vertical scrolling of the BG.I have more screens of this game i might post.

_Paul · 04/15/2010, 04:13 PM

Yeah, the vertical scrolling really gives it some depth and looks great. A pity more games didn't use a similar effect.

awack · 04/15/2010, 05:21 PM

Tatsujin · 04/16/2010, 12:08 AM

Quote from: guest on 04/15/2010, 12:41 PMYeah, see, bat shit insane.

;)

Arkhan Asylum · 04/16/2010, 01:43 AM

it takes some strong pixel fu to be able to get parallax to look nice...

The effect itself is easy to do, but if you just slap down some ugly messed up, stupid looking tiles and start sliding them around, it looks like pixel puke

My favorite parallax still to this day is Shadow of the Beast.

futurematt · 04/16/2010, 04:25 AM

@ awack fine screenshots! Done the game justice.

_Paul · 04/16/2010, 01:19 PM

LEGENDARY AXE

/legendaryaxe028330260.gif

Tatsujin · 04/16/2010, 01:24 PM

a legendary game.

shubibiman · 04/16/2010, 01:47 PM

I played it through back in 1996 (I wouldn't be able to repeat such a performance) and I think it's a very good old fashioned platformer. The graphics don't always look good but I like them overall. A rather difficult game.

runinruder · 04/16/2010, 02:04 PM

Review and screens for the greatest HuCard ever, The Legendary Axe:

http://www.thebrothersduomazov.com/search/label/Legendary%20Axe

turbogrfxfan · 04/17/2010, 07:18 PM

Is such a great game. Those frikkin bats really piss me off ot moths whatever they were flying around my head.

Arkhan Asylum · 04/18/2010, 12:15 AM

this is a perfectly good game. The music is funny sometimes. That weird jungle fantasy music cracks me up

sometimes the controls feel a bit herkyjerky, but overall it's a very fun game.

my only complaint is sometimes the graphics don't look done

_Paul · 04/18/2010, 06:25 AM

The jumps on zone 3B just royally piss me off. I really enjoy the game up to that point.

RoyVegas · 04/19/2010, 01:52 AM

Absolutely love this game! Made it to 5M just now before I couldn't get any farther.... Dying to beat it.

Gogan · 04/19/2010, 09:11 AM

One of my favs on the system. This was the third game I got for tg, and still go back for a playthrough every other month or so.

Although, I must admit I was way better at it back then than now, probably due to me rushing through it cuz I've played it a million times!

You can't beat the tunes, imo, those crazy jungle tunes are classic, nothing tops zone 2's creepy cave music.

And the jumps in 3B are truly a pain in the ass until you get a good grip on the controls

Digi.k · 04/19/2010, 10:04 AM

Quote from: guest on 04/16/2010, 01:19 PMLEGENDARY AXE

/legendaryaxe028330260.gif

hmmm I should really get off my ass and make a youtube vid of this from start to finish had a request for this dating back from 2007....... >_>

_Paul · 04/23/2010, 03:14 PM

TERRAFORMING

/terraforming05.gif

NecroPhile · 04/23/2010, 03:31 PM

I gotta break this one out and give it some more love, but here's some preliminary comments: awesome parallax, the backgrounds are inconsistent (sometimes beautiful, sometimes plain), it likes to throw battalions of the same enemies at you over and over again, and the tunes are fantastic. They're not quite up to a Gate of Thunder level of auditory awesomeness, but damn close.

runinruder · 04/23/2010, 04:09 PM

Terraforming review and screens:

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

NecroPhile · 04/23/2010, 04:16 PM

QuoteStage 6 seems to be the intended money stage as far as effects go, but it really just looks like a big, wobbly, muddy mess.

Is that the water stage, runin? That level does look like poo; they should've left well enough alone and kept the wobbly background on the third stage where it looked pretty cool.

shubibiman · 04/24/2010, 12:20 PM

Quote from: guest on 04/23/2010, 03:31 PMI gotta break this one out and give it some more love, but here's some preliminary comments: awesome parallax, the backgrounds are inconsistent (sometimes beautiful, sometimes plain), it likes to throw battalions of the same enemies at you over and over again, and the tunes are fantastic. They're not quite up to a Gate of Thunder level of auditory awesomeness, but damn close.

You said it all.

I like the fast paced action and the musics. The sprites and backgrounds are well drawned and I like the originality.

Now for this :

QuoteThe environment is rarely ever a factor (with the rather lame exception being Stage 5, which is extremely dark, making it hard to see rocks randomly positioned in the foreground).

It's rather tricky I know but I'm sure it was made on purpose.

TheClash603 · 04/24/2010, 03:25 PM

Must get this game... looks awesome.

NecroPhile · 04/26/2010, 11:41 AM

I have a few extra thoughts on Terraforming after playing it over the weekend: first, the exhaust flame that belches out the ship's rear when changing speeds is damn handy for handling rear attacks, but it can leave you moving at a crawl (i.e. - easy target) if you aren't paying attention. Second, the pea shooter is kinda worthless; after you get shot down, you better be good a dodging until you can pick up an upgrade, as many of the enemies can take a ton of abuse from your standard weapon. Finally, while the backgrounds are often pretty, they are also very repetitive (due to the limitations of the 2.0 system card, no doubt); you'll really notice the repetition if you're using the blue homing weapon, as there are a few spots where you can hold down the fire button and enjoy the scenery.

_Paul · 05/01/2010, 03:58 AM

I recognition of me smashing into the side of a taxi on Thursday, I thought I'd pick a driving game:

KNIGHT RIDER SPECIAL
/knightriderspecial03069.gif

shubibiman · 05/01/2010, 05:10 AM

I've yet to play this game on real hardware before I can say anything but I don't think I'd like it.

Edit : OK, THIS is what I call a crappy game. I spent all the time crashing for whatever reason. Jumping on I-don't-know-what on the road that I couldn't even see. Hilarious.

Tatsujin · 05/01/2010, 05:53 AM

Ubercrap! Period!

turbogrfxfan · 05/01/2010, 12:07 PM

Well there is always next week

.

esteban · 05/02/2010, 05:02 PM

Thankfully, Knight Rider Special was not released in North America.

runinruder · 05/02/2010, 05:07 PM

Knight Rider Special review and screens:

http://www.thebrothersduomazov.com/search/label/Knight%20Rider%20Special

shubibiman · 05/02/2010, 05:31 PM

QuoteIf you find that your car "jumps randomly," you're not using the controls properly.

Yeah, right. So what am I supposed to do in order to avoid jumping randomly?

runinruder · 05/02/2010, 05:55 PM

Quote from: shubibiman on 05/02/2010, 05:31 PM
QuoteIf you find that your car "jumps randomly," you're not using the controls properly.
Yeah, right. So what am I supposed to do in order to avoid jumping randomly?

The car doesn't "jump randomly." You make it jump by pressing button I while you're going over 200 km/h. When you're driving under 200 km/h, button I is a turbo boost. All you have to do to accelerate is press Up on the D-pad.

shubibiman · 05/03/2010, 02:14 AM

Ok, I should have read the booklet before playing the game

NecroPhile · 05/03/2010, 12:36 PM

Quote from: guest on 05/01/2010, 03:58 AMI recognition of me smashing into the side of a taxi on Thursday.....

Did you die?

Knight Rider ain't all that bad. It's about as close as it gets to Road Blasters (one of my personal arcade favorites) on the PCE.