#PS4
#PS4
by Amr (@siegarettes)
Originally developed by DICE for the Amiga and Genesis, Ultracore was recovered and released as part of the launch of the Analgoue Mega SG, a high definition Genesis hardware clone. It remained exclusive to the system, only playable by purchasing expensive, niche hardware. Alongside a physical release from Strictly Limited, Ultracore is finally available to the wider public on Switch and PS4 as a standalone title.
Despite picking up the Mega SG on release, I never played Ultracore, aside from the times I accidentally picked it from the home menu. My reasons were the same as why I never played the release of Super Turrican-Director’s Cut on the Super NT: I’m simply not fond of the European style platformer-shooter hybrids. But with the new Switch release, and after enjoying the PS4 release of Gunlord X, I decided to give this one another chance.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
No matter what half of the Darius Cozmic Collection you start with, it’s impossible to get away from the feeling that it’s only part of a whole. That was true of my time with Cozmic Collection Console, which not only felt incomplete without the arcade games that gave it context, but even lacked key console entries itself. The arcade collection feels even thinner–giving you what’s basically a few variations on three games. But even with the smaller lineup it’s clear which of the two collections is the headliner here. Between the novelty of the absurdly wide playfields, the previous lack of arcade accurate ports and the iconic soundtracks, the Cozmic Arcade Collection easily makes a case as the best of the two parts.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
For as much charm and style as the Shantae series has had, I’ve rarely found most of its entries to be genuinely exciting. Despite their lavishly detailed landscapes, their level designs often left me unimpressed, and the moment to moment gameplay rarely diverted enough from its established design to keep it from feeling routine. Shantae and the Seven Sirens doesn’t exactly shake that feeling, but it does bring welcome change to the formula that points at a more interesting future for the series.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
Darius Cozmic Collection Console is almost more notable for the circumstances of its release than the games included in it. Announced around this time about two years ago, it came out in Japan at the start of the last year, in physical form only, with digital editions unavailable until nearly the end of the year. Additionally the “ Consumer” aka Console collection was initially as a bonus in an incredibly expensive limited edition which skyrocketed in price on the aftermarket. Its eventual digital release cost as much as the already expensive Arcade collection–which is the version that appears here. The original Japanese releases were already rough bargains, but time has made the console collection appear almost archaic, thanks to efforts of other retro collections, and even M2 themselves.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
With a high detail, pre-rendered art style, an aggressive techo-rock soundtrack and high-speed free flowing combat, The Takeover feels like an alternative history sequel to Streets of Rage, and its accompanying 90’s brawler aesthetics. Homages are abound in every moment, with plenty of familiar characters and settings, and tracks that channel SOR so hard that they even hired composer Yuzo Koshiro to contribute. There are even interlude missions that break up the pacing with minigames in the style of classic SEGA arcade games. Matching those aesthetics so closely provides a good example of how they can be modernized, and what remains fraught.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
What kind of person would you be in a disaster? Would you take advantage of the situation for your own gain? Or would you act with kindness and help those around you? Those are the fundamental questions at the heart of Disaster Report. After a prolonged development cycle, surviving cancelation after the Japanese Tohoku earthquake, and an uncertain localization, Disaster Report 4 Summer Memories is finally here–just in time to launch in the midst of another crisis.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
I wanted to like Persona 5. I really did. The bold colors and lines of its master thief aesthetic and its themes of rebellion made a fantastic impression, with plenty of creative scenarios to infiltrate. It felt like a fresh take on the Persona series that brought a lot of much needed change. But 50 hours later I found myself slogging through yet another dungeon that took too long, wishing for the end but knowing I wasn’t even halfway through.
So when Persona 5 Royal came out I thought “what the hell” and decided to take another shot at this 100+ hour RPG to see if I’d like it any better this time around. Not the smartest idea, I know.
By Amr (@siegarettes)
The tactics genre is having a small revival. With the success of Fire Emblem, the return of Advance Wars-esque strategy through Wargroove and Tiny Metal, and several smaller, but interesting games such as Children of Zodiarcs, there’s a plethora of choices to whet the appetite for the tactics hungry. So what better time to return to Langrisser, a series that’s enjoyed popularity overseas, but stayed quiet in the West?