On this SEGA Talk, George and Barry discuss the 1995 SEGA Genesis classic Vectorman! Enjoy this enhanced format where we now watch videos as well as give our usual analysis and development overview.
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Remakes are a common sight in the modern age. I won’t spiel too long about their worth, or their reason for being, but I will put a fine point on one aspect of their existence: what they bring to the original game. A remake can do a lot of things, both good and bad, and the discussion for how faithful a remake should be is a relevant one in the face of games that barely do more than make new art and graphical assets being the most successful remakes on the market. A good remake, in my opinion, is one that injects life into an old idea while keeping sight of what made the idea special in the first place. Or, at the very least, doing something so radically different with the original idea it becomes special in its own right.
Enter Panzer Dragoon: Remake. The original was a seminal 1995 release that ushered the SEGA Saturn into American and European homes with aplomb, and delighted Japanese Saturn owners a year into its life. It was a simple game of arcade sensibility with RPG detail. It was a 3D tour-de-force when polygons were a rarity at home. An on-rails action shooter with a three hundred and sixty degree innovation and a world like nothing else at the time. It’s a prime candidate for a remake, old and unique enough that it could stand improvements without becoming part of the crowd. Does the remake we have now succeed, though? Well…
SEGA has uploaded an exclusive speak peek at three of Japan’s greatest anime/manga character designers in the industry, Horiguchi, BUNBUN, and Shimada, work on the upcoming Sakura Wars (2019) game for Playstation 4.
The video showcases sketches of the three Combat Revues that the New Flower Division will be up against in the Combat Revue World Games which consist of Shanghai, London, and Berlin Divisions. Sakura Wars (2019) will take center stage on April 28th for Playstation 4.
SEGA’s official retro channel, SEGA Forever, will be celebrating SEGA’s rich history, the company’s 60th anniversary, and all their retro-related releases with shared artwork, history, and many more to come.
What would you like to see them post on their social channels? Let us know in the comments below, I personally would like to see concept art of SEGA’s classic arcade titles and more interviews with developers.
Paramount Pictures released a first look clip at one of Sonic The Hedgehog‘s Movie Digital & Blu-ray bonus features, Around the World in 80 Seconds, where we see our blue hero speed around the entire globe while touring all the best landmarks he explains about through doodle drawings! Sonic the Hedgehog will be releasing digital on March 31st while the home release on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD will release May 19th.
Next month, the animated sequel to Sakura Wars (2019), Sakura Wars the Animation, will be joining Funimation’s Spring 2020 Line Up for viewers to watch the anime though subtitles while airing simultaneous in Japan on April 3rd.
Taking place after the events of Sakura Wars (2019), New Flower Division team is transferred to Europe by Seijuro Kamiyama, and Sakura Amamiya was appointed Deputy Commander. Kamiyama returns home temporarily to the Flower Division who all struggle every day, but there is an unknown girl beside named Clara, who is the only survivor of the Moscow group that was destroyed after a major accident . Sakura welcomes Clara, who was commissioned by Kamiyama and transferred to the Flower Division. Meanwhile, a group that claims to be “Moscow Assault Force” suddenly appears in the Imperial City.
Based on the video game franchise, Sakura Wars the Animation arrives this spring from studio SANZIGEN and director Manabu Ono (Sword Art Online: Alicization). The series stars Ayane Sakura (My Hero Academia) as Sakura, Ayaka Fukuhara (Captain Tsubasa) as Anastasia, Maaya Uchida (GOBLIN SLAYER) as Hatsuho and Youhei Azakami (The Seven Deadly Sins) as Seijuro.
The combat trailer for Sakura Wars (2019) is here! Showcasing the battle segments that the player will be facing after exploring around during Adventure Mode and building strong relationships with their teammates. Here is a description of the combat feature, courtesy of SEGA Press:
“Almost immediately after being appointed captain of the Flower Division, your boss, Sumire Kanzaki, announces Tokyo’s sworn protectors are at risk of being disbanded. You and your squad have one chance to prove yourselves and save the legacy of the Flower Division – by winning the Combat Revue World Games. The Games are an intense, dynamic tournament where combat revues from around the world compete in elaborate stage performances and battle with their giant mecha. They were established with the hope it would foster a spirit of unity between the different revues while also enhancing their public profile, allowing these heroes to take the spotlight and display their combat prowess to the populace.”
The Flower Division can expect to face particularly fierce opposition from the combat revues of Shanghai, London, and Berlin. The rules are simple, though the path forward is anything but:
Every match is a three-on-three team battle spread across three rounds.
You’ll select two squad members who will fight alongside you.
Each team scores points by defeating targets located around the tournament arena.
These points contribute to a tug-of-war-like gauge. Win by overpowering your opponent in that gauge or by scoring the most points overall at the end of the match.
Sakura Wars (2019) take center stage on Playstation 4 for April 28th and is now available for pre-order. Check out screenshots of the battle segments after the jump.
SEGA has teamed up with Crunchyroll to give an exclusive speak peek at Tite Kubo’s, the main character designer for the manga series BLEACH, character designs for the upcoming Sakura Wars (2019) game for Playstation 4.
The video showcases sketches the new Flower Division character designs by the famous manga creator with many detailed expressions shown for each character. Sakura Wars (2019) will take center stage on April 28th for Playstation 4.
The brand new, Panzer Dragoon remake will get a physical version thanks to Limited Run Games which will have two versions, one being a regular version for $39.99 and the ‘Classic Edition’ which comes with a SEGA Saturn replica case for $59.99. While its cool to get these physical editions, its a bit sad that the ‘Classic Edition’ isn’t coming with more goodies outside of a replica case. Maybe Limited Run Games has spoiled me in the past but no artwork? Poster? Art Book?
According to Limited Run Games, both the regular and Classic Edition will be open pre-orders until April 24th, meaning you don’t have to prey that you can get a copy and gives you time to free up cash to order.
Catherine, the cult puzzle game by Atlus, is finally coming to the Nintendo Switch in July 7th. Notably this is the “Full Body” re-release that includes extra content, such as a third love interest in Rin and 5 more endings possible.
Like before, you take on the role of Vincent Brooks, as he gets involved in an affair with Catherine, with the encounter causing Vincent to experience warped nightmares every night. These nightmares play out like a sliding box puzzle, where the objective is to climb to the top of a tower and escape, and doing it fast enough to avoid getting swallowed by the nightmare below.
A bit of an unexpected drop! As revealed in Nintendo’s latest Nintendo Direct Mini, Panzer Dragoon Remake is now available for the Nintendo Switch. The game is available in all regions for $24.99 and equivalent, so far only digitally on the Nintendo Switch eShop. A Steam release is also planned, but it’s still unknown when Panzer Dragoon Remake will release on Steam and possibly other system.
The game itself is a recreation of the original 1995 SEGA Saturn cult classic, as you take on the role of a rider flying an armored dragon through flooded temples and barren deserts. Your objective is to survive and defeat the evil Prototype Dragon and other monsters by using a combination of the rider’s gun and the dragon’s homing laser breath, similar to SEGA’s past arcade games like After Burner.
Forever Entertainment’s Panzer Dragoon: Remake social media account made an recent announcement with a video message that the series composer, Saori Kobayashi, would be returning to compose an alternative re-arranged soundtrack for the remake with Alex Aniel as the Sound Producer and showcases a preview of the soundtrack.
Players would be able to switch the soundtrack in the game according to the producer of the Panzer Dragoon Remake on Twitter.
Panzar Dragoon: Remake is set for release this Winter 2020 for Nintendo Switch and Steam.
SEGA has launched it’s new website, “GO SEGA” to celebrate the company’s 60th anniversary with a brand new logo and showcasing the history of SEGA’s greatest achievements in gaming. SEGA will celebrate it’s 60th Anniversary on June 3, 2020 with updates on Ayumi’s 60 Year History and various content such as interviews, events and more. SEGA Holdings Co., Ltd. Chairman (Representative Director), Haruki Satomi, left a message on the website to fans saying:
“This year, sixty years will have passed since Nihon Goraku Bussan Co. Ltd., the predecessor of SEGA, was established on June 3, 1960. We are indebted to everyone who has patronized the SEGA Group for many years, and would like to express our deep gratitude to all of you. We want to astonish the world with breath-taking experiences that no one in the world has ever imagined. We want to be a company that continues to provide inspirational experiences to everyone in the new world of the future.
That is why we must overcome all obstacles and keep taking on new challenges. The key message of the 60th anniversary, “GO SEGA”,expresses such aspirations. The SEGA Group is planning a variety of special contents for this 60th anniversary. Through these special contents, we will deliver the passion of the SEGA Group to the entire.”
SEGA has also released a new campaign video featuring the eldest son of Hiroshi Fujioka (known for his iconic role as Segata Sanshiro), Masaki Fujioka, as SEGA’s 60th Anniversary Ambassador “Sega Shiro” who wants people to know more about SEGA. Here is the updated Sega Shiro website to check out What are your expectations for SEGA’s 60th Anniversary? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
DotEmu announced that a official Streets of Rage 4 original soundtrack will be available to listen on several digital platforms (Spotify , Deezer, etc) on day one of release with the Vinyl coming out this Summer with the help from Brave Wave Music and Mutant Ninja Play.
Streets of Rage 4 will be available on Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC this Spring 2020. Pre-orders for limited editions are also available on Limited Run Games website.
Take to skies with the newest release in the SEGA AGES series, G-LOC Air Battle, which is confirmed to be released on March 26th in Japan for ¥999. Commonly cited as a spin-off to SEGA’s After Burner, you once again take on the role of a fighter jet soaring through the skies blasting anything in your way with either a standard shot or homing missiles. The main difference is the emphasis on switching between third-person and first-person, as each perspective allows for better mobility or better precision respectively.
SEGA AGES G-LOC Air Battle will have a special border designed to emulate the R360 arcade cabinet’s dynamic movements, with the screen shifting based on your actions within the game. In addition, a new SEGA AGES mode will be included, with new missions, a larger search range, and faster lock-on cursor, making it ideal for novice players. Like past SEGA AGES releases, there will also be online rankings.
