Shenmue Premiere Video Provides Insight on Development
Thanks to YouTube page Shenmue Dojo, an apparently rare 13 minute documentary (above) has been released that reveals many details on the development of Dreamcast title Shenmue. This video originally aired at the premiere of the game and it provides an interview with creator Yu Suzuki about the development of this influential title. As you may be aware, Fred recently played Shenmue for the first time in a series of live streams that are now available as well as a review that has garnered a mixed response. Whether you agree or not, it’s always good to get more information on game development.
Capcom Announces Resident Evil 2 Remake
So I get this e-mail about an hour ago from Capcom that says to check out the video above. I tried to hide my excitement as I read the name of the video: Resident Evil 2 Remake – Special Message From Producer “H”. Yep, it’s official, Capcom is remaking the beloved sequel, Resident Evil 2 and fresh on the heels of the nearly complete fan remake. What a predicament. On one hand I really like the RE4 style that the fan remake offers and here’s hoping a C&D (Cease & Desist Order) doesn’t show up in that team’s inbox until at least a few days after the release allowing myself and many other fans to grab it for legacy. On the other hand, I really would like to see what the team at Capcom can do with this project since we (myself and Jam) still love the Resident Evil franchise, adored the HD Remaster (and by proxy the original REmake), and the fact that I was rather disappointed in the efforts of both the main franchise and the Revelations series to date. They were okay, but not what I desired in the original four games’ veins. This also hopefully means it’ll be only a matter of time before we get the Remake treatment to Resident Evil 3 and then I think it’s safe to say I’m all out of things I want from this franchise. The video clearly states that development was just greenlit, which means this game will probably release alongside Bloodstained and Shenmue III in 2017 or later, but what the hell, we can wait.
Special thanks to Michael (@deadpoolprime) for the heads up. My press contacts already gave me access to the video, but I hadn’t looked at it yet and he reminded me that when I get a message to watch a special video, I should probably take the sliver of time to give it an immediate gander.
Podcast: Assault of the B-Tier Games
This week Fred and Jam attempt to define what a “B-Tier” game is and go off on countless tangents of their favorite games they consider B-Tier. The chat definitely joins in to make the most of it.
Street Fighter (Fighting Street) Review
One of the most common questions I have been asked in regards to fighting games is, “why is Street Fighter II a sequel? Where is Street Fighter?” An understandable question, especially when you consider that the original Street Fighter was released in arcades a whopping four years later, plays completely different from its sequel, and was called Fighting Street in its only US console release (on the Turbografx-CD no less). If you’re a fan of Street Fighter II, the concept of getting to see where the series starts is tempting to say the least (and now completely possible without expensive hardware thanks to the virtual console and Capcom Collection), but you’ll soon find that Street Fighter is much more of a proof of concept rather than a fighting game that pre-dates the record setting sequel.
Shadow of the Beast II Review
Writers Notes: In an attempt to make my comeback in game reviewing I wanted to get nostalgic again and revisit the first video game review I ever wrote. But since film and game developers seem to love to remaster everything, I thought I would jump on that bandwagon and re work my old review. Enjoy and hopefully you will see more content from me soon. Today I am going to revisit the 16-bit hit Shadows of the Beast II on the Sega Mega Drive developed by Reflections Interactive and published by the late Psygnosis. I decided to return once again to this brutally challenging game and see if I still remember how to play through what is a relatively short experience (if you know what you are doing).
I still have my copy of the game exactly how I purchased it back in the nineties. I was originally attracted to the game by name alone though I always wished I could find the original boxed version but alas I still have never found one at least for a reasonable price, and with the way retro prices are going now I probably never well. The game to this day is kept in a rather shoddy EB games box that does not leave much to the imagination, but it is my only memento from the store which is now extinct in the UK and I kinda like hanging on to it even if it is a pain to store away since the box is a couple of centimetres taller than a standard Mega Drive box (yes, we use the metric system here). When I popped this game in for the first time I was totally blown away by the sound track which is composed by David Whittaker and Tim Wright. Even listening to it today, it still holds up and sounds incredible. Before you even start the game itself you take a moment just to take in the truly gorgeous title music. If you never play this game I highly recommend you check the soundtrack out online it is beautiful.
Retro Game Night: Battletoads (NES and Arcade)
This week for Retro Game Night Fred booted up the Rare Replay collection to revisit Battletoads on the NES and finally play the arcade game. It goes about as you would expect.
Note: Adult Language, viewer discretion advised.
Lost Treasures of Gaming: Rescue on Fractalus!
This week’s episode featured David B. Fox in the interview chair and a discussion on the development of Rescue on Fractalus! One of the earliest games from LucasFilm Games before they became LucasArts, this title featured fractal graphics and procedurally generated planets way before that was commonplace.
This was captured in conjunction with the Lost Treasures of Gaming podcast on OMG Nexus. Lost Treasures of Gaming on Gaming History 101’s Twitch channel can be watched live every Friday night at 11:30 pm EST.
Alpha Protocol Review
Alpha Protocol is a game designed around choice, optimized for espionage, and works really hard at having you roleplay as the type of secret agent you want to be. During our game club podcast, we all would refer to our handling of Agent Michael Thorton as “being in character,” which goes a long way in telling you just how immersed in the game one can get. Before you go thinking this means you’ll feel like a true secret agent, there are many aspects of Alpha Protocol – the most notable probably being the game glitches and bugs – that will remind you time and time again that this is a game and tethered to the tropes of such. Still, as time has gone on and the fact that we have rarely seen games quite like it, Alpha Protocol has had a lasting impression and subsequent cult following that we not so warmly embraced when it released up against the likes of powerhouses like Mass Effect 2. It’s time to take a critical eye to this self-proclaimed “Espionage RPG” and figure out if it’s more James Bond or Maxwell Smart.
Podcast: Alpha Protocol Game Club
For the July game club Jam and Fred are joined by Chip Cella of the B-Team to discuss the Obsidian developed title Alpha Protocol. A story-based game all about making decisions, the boys talk about the myriad of choices they made to craft a personalized spy story.
Shenmue Review
The life simulator genre is quite popular in Japan, but it seems that every time it makes its way to America or Europe, the titles are mostly seen with contempt. A handful of games have transcended the trip from the East to the West, but these titles have appeared more recently save for the one standout: Shenmue. Originally planned as an AM2 title for the Saturn led by Yu Suzuki, Shenmue ended up being a near-launch Dreamcast game that was seen as an influential powerhouse for gamers of the time. It now sits as one of those games that is only appreciated by the smaller avid fan community, but looking back at reviews almost every outlet that existed in 2000 loved it. Although it has now been 15 years since its release – and despite the fact that until recently I had never played it – Shenmue‘s draw, attributes, and puzzling attraction are just as present now as they were the day it released.
Gaming History 101 