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31 Nights of Castlevania: Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest

October 1, 2017 colin

Castlevania for the NES is a bonafide classic. There is no question about that.

Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest, on the other hand, is often regarded to be the red headed step child of the NES trilogy. Not without good reason either, as it is an immensely flawed sequel. It was also the first game to feel the Angry Video Game Nerd’s wrath.

However, that does not mean it’s a terrible game. Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest took the series when it was just starting out, and experimented a little. In this aspect, Konami should be applauded. Simon’s Quest is a solid entry in the Castlevania series, despite some glaring problems.

What a horrible night to have a curse!
Taking place a few years after the first game, Simon’s Quest has Simon Belmont traversing over Transylvania. After Dracula’s defeat in the first game, Simon has a curse placed on him. In order to rid the curse, he must find Dracula’s body parts, resurrect the vampire and defeat him once and for all.

The adventure format was a big departure from the first game’s linear platforming. This aspect is both Simon’s Quest’s best strength and worst weakness. It allows for more freedom and variety in the scenery. Although, the overly cryptic nature of the map and what little help the townspeople have in the shop sections make this quest a bit of a slog.

One of the best features of any Castlevania game is the amount of horror film/mythologic iconography Konami stuffs in. Unfortunately, Simon’s Quest has a lack of great boss fights and creative enemies. The Grim Reaper makes an underwhelming appearance and Dracula looks like a generic Halloween costume found at any dollar store. They aren’t even challenging boss fights too, which is exceptionally disappointing.

The morning light has vanquished the evil!
What’s good in Simon’s Quest? Quite a bit actually. The graphics and controls are as good as they were in the first game. This is almost required for a relatively long game like this one. The player won’t feel bored, as the day and night cycles keep the challenge coming on.

The music is fantastic too as this was the first Castlevania game to introduce the fan favorite music track “Bloody Tears.” If a player has also managed to fight with the game and stick to it, they will find a decent amount of challenge, and even fun, within Simon’s Quest.

The RPG elements, in a strange way, were a precursor to the Metroidvania-style Castlevania became synonymous with. The items and power-ups found in the game are actually some of the coolest in the series. When’s the flaming whip going to make a comeback?

It’s not perfect, but Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest is a worthy entry in the series. Newcomers will just have to push through the adventure parts. Longtime fans should forgive the cryptic nature of the game, give Simon’s Quest a second chance.

The Lifecast Presents… 31 Nights of Castlevania!

September 30, 2017 colin

The night has just fallen onto Transylvania, as a familiar evil fills the air. A broken down and terrifying castle looks ominous in front of the full moon. It appears Count Dracula has risen again and whoever wields the Vampire Killer whip will have to destroy him. Using their skills and weapons, can they survive the night?

Image courtesy of VG Museum

Their adventure will be filled with perilous traps and horrifying monsters the likes mere mortals are too terrified to see.

This is Castlevania.

Castlevania is a video game franchise which celebrates horror and manages to cram in some of the best gameplay of any action/action-RPG game. The spooky atmosphere, references to classic horror films and mythology and overall quality between games has made Castlevania a series many gamers are fond of.

Everyone has a Halloween tradition…

As the Lifecast’s resident Castlevania fanatic, I always try to play as many of the games as possible during the Halloween season. Whether it’s running through the castle in Symphony of the Night or fighting Dracula for the first time in the original game, I am not picky. I enjoy the series that much.

Image courtesy of VG Museum

I decided to change it up this year for my yearly binge. I decided to share my love for the franchise with the Lifecast.

Welcome to the 31 Nights of Castlevania!

From October 1st to the 31^st, there will be a new Castlevania review on the Lifecast’s homepage. It will end with a big 30^th anniversary retrospective on the first game in the series, as it is celebrating the big 3-0 here in the ‘states.

Giving Castlevania a proper series retrospective

The entries themselves will be varied enough from the series’ eras. The classic platformers on the NES and SNES, the awkward but decent 3D period and the birth of the Metroidvania genre. There will even be some coverage of spin-offs, rip-offs, and the (surprisingly) critically acclaimed Netflix show.

It will end with a big 30^th anniversary retrospective on the first entry, as it is celebrating the big 3-0.

However… what will be the first to kick it off?

Here’s a hint…

Image courtesy of VG Museum.

Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures Special: Axelay, the 25th Anniversary

September 11, 2017 colin

Axelay Box Art

The SNES wasn’t known for shmups…until Axelay came along

For an incredible library that spans over all kinds of genres, the SNES is not well known for its “shmups”.

For example, Gradius III is bogged down with flicker and slow down and Super Nova and Darius Twin are the definitions of “meh”. While on the other hand, Sega had the Thunder Force series ripping it up. It was one genre that truly embodied the phrase “Genesis Does What Nintendon’t.”

However, the Genesis did not have Axelay.

Developed by Konami and released in September 1992, Axelay stands head and shoulders above several games in the shmup genre and is, without question, the best of its kind on the SNES. It’s still a fondly looked at game, as reviews for its Virtual Console re-release are still positive across the board.

And yet, Axelay did not set the charts ablaze with sales figures. It was (probably) a combination of the SNES not being a great system for this particular genre and less than two weeks prior, a little game called Super Mario Kart was released. Another factor is that Axelay was meant to be Japanese-exclusive, but was ported to the US at the last minute. Heck, a sequel was even planned.

Axelay has gained a cult following on the ‘web for being an all-around great shmup. The gameplay is tight, the music is great, and the graphics hold their own against the SNES’ best.

Celebrating its 25^th anniversary today, Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures is profiling a game that deserves to be called an “undervalued treasure.”

Also, fun fact: the majority of the development team went on to become the founding members of Treasure.

From a pure gameplay standpoint, Axelay is the best shmup on the SNES

Axelay’s wonderfully optimistic story is about how the planet of Corliss has faced total annihilation by the…well, Armada of Annihilation. It’s up to the lone pilot of the Axelay (aaaaad…title drop) to fight off this horde.

Taking cues from their Gradius series, Konami included a Weapon Select system into Axelay. Players can choose a primary, secondary, and a missile option.

When you select your weapons, the game says in a very clear tone: “ARMS INSTALLATION IS COMPLETE…GOOD LUCK.” It never gets old.

However, from the outset not all the weapons are selectable and as the game progresses, more weapons become available. There also is not as many options as Gradius. That being said, there is not one weapon in the game that is useless. Players can also select the weapons on the fly as well and won’t have to rely on an upgrade system like other shmups.

The Round Vulcan weapon, for example, allows the ship to shoot enemies circling around the player. The missiles are fantastic for the more crowded moments in the game as well.

The controls are tight and responsive, key for any shmup, and gives the player a fighting chance. Make no mistake, Axelay is a difficult game, but not quite controller-smashing, hair-pulling, screaming-obscenities-to-make-90s-Denis-Leary-blush difficult as other games in the genre.

Certain bosses, like this Ed-209-looking one, can be a little tough.

However, other features are quite awesome as well
Axelay utilizes the SNES’ color palette and its Mode 7 processor quite well. The tiny details on the Axelay ship, the enemies and bosses and stages are all pleasing to look at. The development team knew what they were working with, and decided to work around the SNES’ capabilities, rather than against them. The opening stages have a nice use of blue and the standout lava stage is exceptionally nice looking.

The lava monster is scary-looking and well animated as well. All of Axelay’s bosses are consistently impressive.

The game has both horizontal and vertical shooting stages, similar to Konami’s Life Force each with its own aesthetic. Many of the vertical levels have a sort-of-gimmicky feel to them, as it looks like you are flying over a city.

However, they are quite nice to look at and add more dimension as opposed to being some generic level. Other levels take place inside dilapidated space stations and on a planet made of lava, where the game’s most memorable boss fight takes place.

Then there’s the music. Composed by Super Castlevania IV’s Taro Kudo, Axelay’s OST is a varied one and each boss has their own theme. The first level’s track, “Unkai” is perfect to get the player ready for the action.

One of Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures

Axelay is one of Konami’s best games in the 90s and one that holds its own against other shmups of the era. It’s a shame we may never get that sequel though.

Regardless, happy 25^th Axelay. A game as awesome as this one deserves a big celebration; from the quality of the gameplay, to its unique weapon system, to its overall fun nature, Axelay is one no shmup fan should ever pass up.

The game is available on both the Wii and Wii U Virtual Console, but copies on the SNES are going to be quite expensive.

D&D, Tekken, Snake Pass, and Thumper | Ep.70

June 29, 2017 The Lifecast

This week, we get into games we’ve been playing, games we’ve been meaning to get around to, and stuff that was just on sale.

Next week, we give you Episode 69.

Recorded live on June 26, 2017.

We accept questions for the podcast constantly on our site, through Discord, and if you email questions@thelifecast.net.

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E3 2017 Predictions | Ep.66

June 8, 2017 Deanna

We all sit down and take a good, long look through E3’s conferences and what we think’s going to be announced during each one.

Our E3 Post-Show Recap will be live on Twitch this coming Tuesday, June 13, at 3PM EST, and we’ll be talking in-depth about each conference.

Recorded live on June 5, 2017.

We accept questions for the podcast constantly on our site, through Discord, and if you email questions@thelifecast.net.

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Persona 5, Shadows of Valentia, Revelations, and Candies | Ep.65

June 1, 2017 The Lifecast

Greg and Adam continue their trudge through Persona 5— and Adam finishes it. Sydney and Greg keep playing through Fire Emblem games: Shadows of Valentia for Greg and Revelations for Sydney. And Deanna, despite running a video game podcast, didn’t play any new games. We also decide what candies we’d be. Some of us have an easier time of it than others.

Our E3 predictions will be the topic of next week’s podcast. E3 coverage will start at 3PM EST on June 13, after Nintendo’s Special Direct. It’s going to be an all-afternoon stream picking apart what we liked and what we didn’t about each conference. Our full streaming schedule can be found on Twitter and Facebook, and is also the offline image on our Twitch channel.

Recorded live on May 30, 2017.

We accept questions for the podcast constantly on our site, through Discord, and if you email questions@thelifecast.net.

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First Time PAX East Attendee? 5 Do Not’s That You May Not Expect

March 9, 2017 colin

If this sounds like a sales pitch, I apologize.

PAX East is a phenomenal time for any gamer. Casual or old, strictly old school or exclusively current gen, there is no better convention in the Northeast to celebrate our beloved hobby. The collection of people, personalities, game reveals and games to buy create a feel-good atmosphere.

If you are a first time attendee and feel a little overwhelmed, don’t be. Then again, it is a massive convention center. And there is going to be plenty of chubby dudes taking up space. And a lot of standing in line.

Image may contain: one or more people, indoor and outdoor

Sometimes, PAX looks a lot like this.

Crap. I just gave myself anxiety. Which is how I felt about certain aspect of PAX East last year. What do I do, what do I say, what do I…wait.

These are things I was worried to say to Alanah Pearce. And the convention. Anyways, getting off topic.

Everyone out there has their anxieties. No one is perfect. Heck, I have so many paranoid ticks I could double as Tweak from South Park.

To reassure any first timers out there, I will tell you there are five parts of PAX East that you either shouldn’t be afraid of or just shouldn’t do. Or go ahead and do. I mean, I’m just some goofy bald guy who really likes Castlevania.

1. DO NOT be afraid to go up and meet your favorite gaming personality!

Remember, they are people just like us. They were in your shoes once too, and for some of them, they still get nervous and excited around other gaming personalities. They love to interact with fans and talk games just as much as we do.

I met Daemon Hatfield last year…and he was awesome!

For any aspiring game journalists out there, this is also a great way to start breaking out of your shell and talking to people.

2. DO NOT be afraid to ask questions at panels!

Ever go to a panel that is just so awesome that you want to say something, but then get dry mouth and embarrass yourself in front of everyone. Or is that just me?

The IGN crew were great when it came to fan interaction after their panel.

Projecting aside, never be afraid to think you’re question is dumb or silly. In fact, most panelists would love a silly question once in a while!

3. DO NOT expect to play the games immediately!

Uncharted 4 was one of my most anticipated games last year. The inclusion of the demo made me psyched to play.

Now, I wasn’t excited to stand in line. At all.

Please note: NOT EVERY GAME IS WORTH STANDING IN LINE FOR!

If you really want to play a game, and if you’re a huge fanboy/fangirl, it’ll be worth the wait! Just tough it out! If you’ll feel bored, take a couple of goofy SnapChats.

4. DO NOT bring a small amount of cash!

Retro game collecting is expensive. Heck, gaming is expensive. You want some sick gaming schtuff from PAX East? Bring some cash. A good amount of cash. Don’t make it rain or anything, but be prepared to spend a decent amount of money if you want to pick up a retro game you’ve been eyeing.

Look, Ninja Turtles may not be expensive, but Double Dash!! was and Alien Hominid is rare to come by. Somewhat.

Or in my case, half of my tax return for Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance.

5. DO NOT go alone!

I swear to Lemmy (Airheads reference, look it up!), nothing is more boring, or lonely, than going to a convention alone. Eating alone is fine. Watching a movie alone is fine. Going to a gathering like this one is not.

Gaming is one of the most friendly and diverse subcultures out there, but it won’t feel like that if you don’t out and interact with others. Going with a group of close gaming friends is even better and it makes the whole weekend that much more special.

Image may contain: 10 people, people smiling, indoor

Man, what a great looking group of people. And some douche with an LA Dodgers hat. Wait…

I attended my first PAX East with the Lifecast Fam, (before we were the Fam actually…weird…we were just…friends) and it’s a memory I will hold for a long time.

For anyone attending for the first time, or the first time in a long time, stay safe, have fun and enjoy some games!

Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures: Forgotten Worlds

January 27, 2017 colin

Image result for forgotten worlds sega genesis game

Image courtesy of Vizzed.com

Forgotten Worlds is one of Capcom’s “forgotten” arcade classics
Forgotten Worlds is one of the many twin-stick shooters that flooded the arcades in the 80s. Instead of being an elite commando fighting a vaguely evil army, players were an unnamed mercenary with a jetpack fighting gruesome aliens after they conquered Earth. Forgotten Worlds also manages to throw in some minor-RPG elements, making it more unique than other shooters at the time.

Image courtesy of Giant Bomb.

The game was released in arcades in 1989 and is the third and final in Capcom’s unofficial “Jet-Pack Hero trilogy.” Capcom released a few scrolling shooters starring jetpack-and-gun wielding characters in space. Section Z and Side Arms are two other games in this pseudo-series.

Image courtesy of Giant Bomb.

Forgotten Worlds is one of the earliest Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games. The colors, animation and sound were something that certainly aligned with the infamous “Genesis Does What Nintendon’t” ads.

Despite cameos from the characters in crossover games such as Project X Zone and the first Marvel vs Capcom, Forgotten Worlds is very much a forgotten game. It’s not like the game wasn’t a hit, but it just wasn’t a massive one. It’s been re-released a few times on collections, but it’s not brought up when talking about the best shmups of the 80s and 90s.

Forgotten Worlds takes place in a post-apocalyptic alien world with plenty of things to shoot
In the 29^th century, the evil alien dictator, Emperor Bios, has unleased total destruction on Earth. It is up to two mirror-shade wearing, armor-clad Unknown Soldiers (which is their official names according to Marvel vs Capcom) to eliminate the Emperor and bring peace back to the planet. It’s not the most original of stories, but it works. Although, it is one of the few arcade games from the 80s to have cut scenes in-between stages.

Author’s note: no context will be given for the subtitle. Image courtesy of Giant Bomb.

Utilizing two joysticks, players will use one to take aim against the aliens and the other to dodge their attacks. Forgotten Worlds throws more than a few enemies at the players, so taking aim and dodging requires a lot of precise movements. Thankfully, the controls are tight and responsive. It’s a great system that is not only a blast to play, but actually rewards players for playing strategically. As opposed to the typical “mash the shoot button and see what happens” in most shooters.

Image courtesy of Giant Bomb.

The stages themselves are usually straightforward, but have a personality to them. The Unknown Soldiers will be traversing through ruined cities, massive sandy, wastelands that bring Fist of the North Star to mind and technological nightmares. Capcom’s CP2 hardware is incredibly powerful and produces some nice-looking graphics. Arcade goers can wow at the vivid images being shot at on-screen and the overall use of colors creates the atmosphere of Forgotten Worlds.

Image courtesy of Giant Bomb.

Where the somewhat-RPG elements come in are with the money, or “Zenny,” enemies drop after being defeated. Zenny can be used at shops. The shops, quite literally, pop out of the ground. From there, the adorable shopkeeper Sylphie will greet our heroes. Players can purchase, armor, health and weapon upgrades, lives and much more. The enemy-seeking missiles are definitely one of the most helpful power-ups in the game.

Who figured someone who looks like her sells weapons of mass destruction? Image courtesy of the Arcade-Museum.com.

One of Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures
Forgotten Worlds does not deserve to be, well, forgotten. The game truly is one of the great, if not one of the greatest, shmups to be released in the arcades. It stands toe-to-toe with classic like Gradius and R-Type. It even holds its own against arguably the kind of twin-stick shooters, Smash TV. The polished gameplay, great level design and aesthetics and creative gameplay elements make Forgotten Worlds absolutely worth playing once.

While emulating the game on MAME is ideal for an arcade-rich experience, the Sega Genesis version is a tad expensive and is available on the Wii Virtual Console.

Yakuza 0 Review Roundup: The hilarious, yet incredible, start to a cult hit series

January 25, 2017 colin

Image courtesy of GameFAQs.

Sega’s Yakuza 0 is a prequel with solid reviews
The Yakuza series has always been a bit of an odd duck, as it combines serious noir tones with a quirky Japanese sense of humor. However, this does not mean it is without its fans. For hardcore fans of the beat ‘em up/RPG/sandbox hybrid series, they will be psyched to hear the positivity surrounding the newest entry, Yakuza 0.

Several critics take note at the overall bizarre tone of the game, but compliment the gameplay. Interestingly enough, nearly every reviewer is giving Yakuza 0 a recommendation to newcomers.

IGN
IGN’s brief, but informative, review touches on the sprawling narrative and the complex gameplay in Yakuza 0. Although, the popular gaming website does negatively compare the combat system to the Batman: Arkham franchise.

“Since it’s a prequel, it’s also unburdened by the series’ increasingly intricate backstory and thus far more approachable for newcomers than the last few Yakuza games. While its melee combat may lag slightly behind modern genre standards, Yakuza 0 still hits far more than it misses and is a big, bold and bruising tour through the Japanese underworld.”

GameSpot
Yakuza 0 is given another positive review from GameSpot, calling it an entertaining experience. Peter Brown, the reviewer, is a little critical of the more distracting parts of the narrative. Most of it involving the random bits of comedy.

“Unless you have a strong aversion to violence, sex, or middling graphics, you owe it to yourself to give Zero a chance. Its story will surprise you, its inhabitants will make you laugh at every turn, and its ambitious scope will redefine how you think about open-world games. It’s a fascinating adventure no matter how you approach it, and it’s proof positive that a game can be wildly inconsistent yet remain a great experience.”

Games Radar
On the contrary, Games Radar praises the “all over the place” tone of Yakuza 0. The plot is also given much praise from the website, but the other aspects, including the abundance of mini-games and certain meta-game concepts.

“But that’s been Yakuza from the start: a series which toys with dozens of ideas from all kinds of games, some better than others, and throws them into a blender and wraps them up in a deliciously pulpy, hard-boiled crime drama. On that front, Yakuza 0 delivers, telling a tale full of humor, heart, and dudes ripping their shirts off in one swift motion – and if this your first time diving in, you can’t go wrong here.”

PlayStation Universe
Yakuza is a Sony-exclusive franchise, starting all the way back in 2005 for the PlayStation 2. It makes sense for a website devoted to all things PlayStation would take a crack at reviewing the newest entry. Yakuza 0 receives an overwhelmingly positive review from PlayStation Universe, touching on the series’ long run and how this entry is one of the best ones yet.

“The Yakuza series’ deft blending of action, arcade and RPG elements has never been as accomplished as it is in Yakuza 0. A genre chimera in the truest sense, Yakuza 0’s almost abyssal depth and near inexhaustible buffet of side activities is only paralleled by the calibre of its story, characters and resoundingly robust series of system that interconnect its multi-genre aspirations.”

Image courtesy of GameFreaks.se.

FFXV, Planet Coaster, and Tangents | Ep.46

January 5, 2017 The Lifecast

Don’t talk to me or my 12 objective kills ever again.

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Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures: Infected

December 23, 2016 colin

Image courtesy of GameFAQs.

Infected maybe the only zombie shooter set around Christmas time

Infected is one of the earliest titles on the PlayStation Portable. Developed by Planet Moon Studios back in the mid-2000s, Infected is a twisted and darkly humorous third-person shooter in the backdrop of a zombie-infested New York City around Christmas time. It is also one of the more creative games to be released for Sony’s ill-fated handheld, making use of online play in a creative manner.

Infected was released right in the middle of the holiday 2005 season, where the release of the Xbox 360 was imminent and the handheld market was still dominated by the Nintendo DS. Needless to say, Infected was dead on arrival (pun completely intended) and it sold very little.

Image courtesy of Giant Bomb.

Looking at Infected today, gamers can see an experience something that should have been a cult hit. The image of a zombified charity Santa Claus is enough for anyone to give it a shot. If they do, they will play a fun, if not a little mindless, shooter that had a little more personality than most early PSP games.

Ho, ho….no. Image courtesy of Cheat Code Central.

Infected is the definition of a “popcorn game;” turn your brain off and have fun
A few weeks before Christmas and the Big Apple is hit with a zombie outbreak. Instead of families enjoying the magic of the holidays, they are being slaughtered and eaten by the flesh-eating horde. The game portrays this tragedy with a wicked grin and comes off less Walking Dead and more Dead Alive. Players take the role of Officer Stevens, whose blood can be used as an antidote against the monsters. The character is fully customizable with several ridiculous costumes, including Rayne from Bloodrayne and all nine members of Slipknot. Stevens is given the task to eliminate as many zombies as possible, in increasingly gory ways.

Infected PSP Pizza guy's campaign screen

If you want, you can make Stevens look like a total dweeb. Image courtesy of Moby Games.

The tongue-in-cheek treatment of the horrifying scenario is bookended with raunchy faux-newscasts and over-the-top cut scenes. Stevens’ wardrobe also adds to the zaniness of the game. Zombies are still scary, but have an overtly animated feel to them where laughing at them is more appropriate. Again, it is dark humor so it is not for everyone.

Gameplay in Infected is simple and has a barebones control set up tailor-made for the PSP’s awkward control set up. The two shoulder buttons are for firearms, and the single analog stick allows for basic aiming and movement. Quick-turnarounds are the norm in Infected and it keeps the gameplay fast-paced. It’s a blast to play and feels similar to a rail shooter, where bullets and blood are flying all over the place. The game has a list of missions for Officer Stevens to complete, but it mostly involves shooting, blowing up, destroying, etc. the living dead.

Well, this certainly is a strange Christmas. Image courtesy of Giant Bomb.

Infected’s most interesting feature is the use of online play. Players can engage in typical deathmatch modes and creative ones where one player vs an army of zombies. However, one unique social feature is the ability to jump into a player’s game and infect them. It’s entirely juvenile, but what did anyone expect from a game like this?

Rayne in all her non-Uwe Boll glory! Image courtesy of Hardcore Gamer.

Infected also contains a varied soundtrack. Slipknot not only makes cameos in the game, but have more than a few songs. Metal bands Chimaria and Fear Factory fit in right next to techno/EDM songs done by Junkie XL and Pimp X. It very much screams mid-2000s, but it certainly fits Infected.

One of Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures
There aren’t many games that take place during Christmas time, much less combining the zombie apocalypse. Infected fills in this oddly specific void. The senseless violence found in its facile gameplay will make many gamers grin and laugh at the December dismemberment.

Infected is not expensive to buy new or used. Any Vita owner looking to play something different this holiday season, Infected is worth checking out.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Review

December 19, 2016 colin

Even if the script becomes a little too fan service-oriented and quippy, and the first act is a jagged mess, Rogue One holds its own against some of the better films in the franchise.