"Truth is not elusive. We avoid it. We do not desire honesty, as it makes us aware of our complicity. Truth is a singular shining light that burns away our comfortable illusions. Therefore, a child is not healthy to absorb the whole of any truth, and not one of us is yet fully grown." - Nights In Forever
In those formative years just before high school, I had next-door neighbors with a son a few years my senior. The only electronic entertainment in their home was a simple 13" color TV in his room with an NES and three or four games. Normally he'd come over and enjoy our larger gaming library and bigger TV, but my own family strife meant every now and then we'd grab a few games and head to his house, sacrificing screen size and gaming access for peace and quiet.
One day after school, I stopped by his home and found an unusual sight; his mother and older sister were in his room, boxy grey controllers in hand, playing the original Super Mario Bros. I'd known my friend for over a year and had no clue anyone else in his family played games; no one in mine ever did. I was further surprised to realize that his mother was in world six; who went there when the warp pipes bypassed all of that?
My friend told me we'd have to game at my place, seeing as his mom and sis would likely be at this 'till past bedtime. They took over the NES on occasion, and would exclusively play through Super Mario Bros. several times in a row, from the beginning until 8-4, and loop again.
Continue reading The Gaming Naive
[img width=700 height=525]http://i.imgur.com/3YpVSaT.jpg[/img]
Welcome to the first of a monthly series about my favorite bad system. I thought we would take a look at the name. Why would you name a system "32X"?
First, there was 8-bit (Not really, but for the purposes of this discussion just go with it). What is 8-bit, what does it mean? In the case of the NES, the term 8-bit is referring to the 8-bit microprocessor that the NES used as a CPU. That means that, at most, the CPU can handle data units that are 8 bits (one octet) wide. The Nintendo Entertainment System and the Atari 2600, or VCS if you prefer, weren't heavily marketed as "8-bit machines". Probably because there was not another apples to apples comparison. There were no 4-bit machines. When the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis came along, they were both heavily marketed as 16-bit machines. And why not? 16 is twice as much as 8, it must be twice as good! The 16 bit marketing worked well for both machines as it clearly demonstrated, in familiar terms, just how much better this product was supposed to be. Towards the end of the 16 bit era, whispers of a 32 bit monster could be heard all across the X-Band waves...
Continue reading The 32X: The Best Worst System
 |
Posted on Aug 31st 2014 at 04:41:51 AM by ( singlebanana) Posted under playthrough, wrapup, podcast, July, 2014, Chrono Trigger, PC, modern, retro, Minecraft, Gone Home, The Stanley Parable, Dear Esther |
[img width=639 height=355]http://i1029.photobucket.com/albums/y359/necrom99/Playthroughs/Header_zps233887a2.png[/img]
Join RFGeneration Community Playthrough hosts, Rich (singlebanana), Jamie (techwizard), Floyd (Fleach), and Shawn (GrayGhost81) as we discuss July's retro and modern playthroughs. In this episode, we discuss one of the most celebrated RPGs of all time, Chrono Trigger and a handful of modern indie PC titles: Minecraft, Gone Home, The Stanley Parable, and Dear Esther. During the Chrono Trigger segment, the Playthrough Group is joined by game enthusiast and prominent RFGeneration member, russlyman. Enjoy!
Episode 5 discussion thread: http://www.rfgeneration.c...x.php?topic=14485.new#new
Get the show on Podomatic: http://rfgenplaythroughs.podomatic.com/
On iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/...27459?mt=2&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
On YouTube:
And follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rfgenplaythroughs
And Twitter: https://twitter.com/rfgplaythroughs
Show Notes:
Introduction: 0:00:24
Chrono Trigger Discussion: 0:01:27
PC Indie Mix Discussions: 1:48:19
Conclusion: 3:57:47
Music:
Opening/Closing theme by Cameron Johnson of Atma Weapon - http://atmaweaponnc.bandcamp.com/
[img width=610 height=343]http://media.edge-online.com/wp-content/uploads/edgeonline/2013/10/Kentucky-Route-Zero.jpg[/img]
I'll often step away from the grand scale RPGs I normally play to indulge in bite sized gaming experiences I can finish in a few hours. These shorter titles are ones that have fun gameplay or offer small nuggets of great stories. Kentucky Route Zero by Cardboard Computer falls into this second category
Continue reading Review: Kentucky Route Zero
[img width=500 height=281]http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/bombatomba77/20140725_185951_zpsfc96a810.jpg[/img]
Enter 1990 (maybe early 1991). Hot from months of playing Final Fantasy (my introduction to the genre), I needed a new RPG to play, but I found my funds seriously lacking. So what do I turn to? The small wall of $20 games at the local game store. Of that lean selection of 15 or so games, there was one that caught my eye, with a description of "Action fantasy role playing" on the back of the box. With a joy that only children with extra funds can know, I bought Hydlide, unaware in the slightest the impact this game would have on my life as a gamer.
Continue reading Hydlide - Looking Into the Face of History
[img width=300 height=450]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/games/U-060/ms/U-060-S-01100-A.jpg[/img]
The Legend of Oasis is the followup/prequel to Beyond Oasis. It was also developed by Ancient and composed by the studio's founder Yuzo Koshiro. It was released in 1996 for the Sega Saturn and was built off of the same engine that powered Beyond Oasis (The Story of Thor for those outside North America). The Legend of Oasis keeps the same feeling and exploration style of the first game while introducing new puzzles and a new map.
Continue reading Psychotic Reviews: The Legend of Oasis
 |
Posted on Aug 24th 2014 at 04:51:11 PM by ( wildbil52) Posted under PC, DOS |
[img width=640 height=480]http://i.imgur.com/oLZbZd5.jpg[/img] I can't take a breath without seeing Mr. Death....
The 11th Hour is an exploration puzzle solving mystery game that was released for Windows in 1995 and on Mac in 1996. It is the sequel to The 7th Guest and takes place in the same mansion as the first game, only 60 years later. The player takes on the role of Carl Denning, an investigative reporter who is looking for the missing producer of his TV show in the Stauf mansion.
Continue reading Dust Off Your DOS Box and Play The 11th Hour
[img width=560 height=311]http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o736/Fleach/suikoden2ico_zps25434e4c.jpg[/img]
Next month, the RFGeneration Playthrough Group attempts to conquer the "sequels" to our June playthoughs. If you've been following the Community Playtrough threads, it should be no surprise as to what these titles are.
Continue reading September 2014 RFGeneration Community Playthroughs
[img width=300 height=395]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/games/U-005/gs/U-005-S-02520-A.jpg[/img]
SPECS:
Game: M.A.D.
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1982
Publisher: U.S. Games
Developer: Western Technologies, Inc.
Rarity (according to AtariAge): 4 = Scarce+
Controls: Joystick
Number of Players: 1 player (against computer) & 2 player (head-to-head)
Average Cost: approx. $2 - $5 loose
Also Available On: Only available on the Atari 2600
Tagline/Description: "Defend your future civilization's energy supply against waves of devious attack missiles. Your energy stations stand vulnerable...use your ground based Photon cannon and pit yourself against computer controlled missiles; or, let another player guide the missiles, and do battle head to head. Each wave of missiles becomes more aggressive and intense. Grab your controller and prepare for a furious battle."
Continue reading Banana's Rotten Reviews: M.A.D.
 |
Posted on Aug 19th 2014 at 04:00:00 AM by ( noiseredux) Posted under PC |
[img width=700 height=393]http://cloud-4.steampowered.com/ugc/778309180024878510/4A9C73F5AA73F2580B02133A254171B7E4B11637/[/img]
Question: what the heck is going on with sports games? I mean, if you're a console gamer, then they're considered over-abundant to the point of being cast off as nearly disposable. Each iteration of each individual series is being released annually so that the supply is so ridiculously high that eBay sellers of console lots need warn prospective buyers "L@@K! NO SPORTS GAMES!!!!" And yet PC gamers - the so-called "master race" seem to be struggling to find recent installments at all in some cases.
Continue reading The State of PC Sports Games, 2014
 |
Posted on Aug 17th 2014 at 11:28:31 PM by ( Fleach) Posted under News, Press conference, Gamescom, PS4, Sony, XBox One, Microsoft, EA, Indie, Trailer, Demo |
[img width=600 height=300]http://www.playstationgang.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/gamescom-20141.jpg[/img]
Game developers and journalists descended upon Cologne, Germany for another Gamescom Conference. This event is similar to E3, but the spotlight is placed on upcoming games. This year, Microsoft, Sony and EA (which I was unable to watch due to their 4 a.m. EST stage time) highlighted their future line ups of games. Backlogs and wallets beware, there is a lot to be excited about just over the horizon.
Continue reading Presser Round Up: Gamescom 2014
Episode 25 discussion thread: http://www.rfgeneration.c...rum/index.php?topic=14374
In this episode we open the darkest recesses of our gaming collection to reveal our secret piles of shame. With so many games to collect, sometimes it can be difficult to play the ones you own. In some cases, it even leads to neglecting titles that deserve more. Join us to find out the games in our collection that we feel terrible for never playing.
How shameful are our lists? Do you harbor a secret pile of shame of your own? Be sure to chime in and let us know!
Get the show at http://www.collectorcast.com
Follow the Collectorcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Collectorcast
Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Collectorcast
On Stitcher (enter Promo Code RFGeneration): http://www.stitcher.com/RFGeneration
On iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/u...collectorcast/id524246060
On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/DukeTogo74
Show Notes
Music: Dragon Warrior (NES)
Topic: 36:09
Outro: 3:09:01
Links
Shadowgate Let's Play http://youtu.be/mSGZvini5...=UUv9Yyrdj7fHqBNShE0rZJ1w
Legacy of the Wizard Let's Play http://youtu.be/AscWs-2cm...=UUv9Yyrdj7fHqBNShE0rZJ1w
[img width=428 height=400]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/games/U-061/ms/U-061-S-02560-A.jpg[/img]
Following criticisms of their second game, Naughty Dog regrouped and started working on a new Crash followup. The third in the series would be their most ambitious yet. After two extremely successful games, Naughty Dog had a large budget to work with, but less than a year to build and finish the game. Like its predecessors, the game saw immense success in Japan, and dethroned Crash 2 as the most successful Western developed game in the country. It was the first non-Japanese game to earn the Platinum Prize for selling over 1 million copies in Japan alone.
Continue reading Psychotic Reviews: Crash Bandicoot: Warped
|
Posted on Aug 11th 2014 at 03:45:14 PM by ( noiseredux) Posted under PC |
[img width=700 height=393]http://cloud-4.steampowered.com/ugc/81379587721749422/B9337769194FCE7846ACD1758E64840DEE2BDF69/[/img]
Shovel Knight
Yacht Club Games, 2014
For those of us that are a certain age, some current indie games tend to strike a certain chord. They might remind us of our youths. And nostalgia is a powerful thing, my friends. But of course, we sometimes look at our favorite games from yesteryear through rose-tinted glasses. And alas, even a mediocre game of our youth can outshine a better game of today that's just trying too smurf-hard to shoehorn in old references. But Shovel Knight somehow seems different. It's a new game, yet it throws in new experiences that gaming has developed via the benefit of time. And yet somehow, it's something you can also feel nostalgic about. In short, it's the sort of game that anybody who spends time reading retro video game websites would want to play.
Continue reading Review: Shovel Knight
[img width=700 height=379]http://www.steveboehlke.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/podium9.png[/img]
Dear Distinguished and Not-so Distinguished Members,
Recently, some of you (especially our older members) may have noticed a change to our home page. What once was a page filled primarily with announcements of podcasts and playthroughs, has been revamped with continually revolving feature stories of game reviews and video game related articles. Only a few days prior to the Metal Jesus video and Kotaku article releases that drove many members to our site, I spoke with Shadow Kisuragi about how I felt that the site was lacking in releasing quality gaming articles for our front page. Of course, Shadow (as he always is) was very receptive to my concern and agreed that we should do something to liven up the primary portal to our site. Little did I know, I would be asked to lead this charge....okay, so maybe I kind of knew.
Continue reading 2014 State of the Blog Address
|
