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Gaming => General Gaming Discussion => Topic started by: mylifewithsega on March 03, 2012, 12:48:11 pm

Title: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on March 03, 2012, 12:48:11 pm
Hello, boils and ghouls....

I started up a retro Sega video review web series, and I'd really like to get some hardcore Sega fan feedback. What games should I look into reviewing, some constructive criticism, etc. Here's the link to my channel....

http://www.youtube.com/user/rcfilms108?feature=mhee

So far, I've reviewed several games for the Genesis, 32X and the Saturn. Some reviews are positive, while some are negative. Here's a list of the games I've done....

Technocop (GEN)
Outlander (GEN)
Shadow Squadron (32X)
Zaxxon's Motherbase 2000 (32X)
Alien 3 (GEN)
Alien Trilogy (SAT)
Quake (SAT)
Time Killers (GEN)
Cosmic Carnage (32X)
Motocross Championship (32X)
Mazin Saga: Mutant Fighter (GEN)
Die Hard Arcade (SAT)
Batman: The Video Game (GEN)

I'd really like to hear everyone's thoughts and feelings. Please feel free to hit me up. Anyway, stay cool.

Hugs and sloppy kisses,
A.J.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: CrazyT on March 04, 2012, 03:33:55 pm
I just watched a few of your video, and tbh they're great. It's good to see little reviews like this about SEGA games I've never been able to play. Would be glad to see more *subs

Also, welcome to the forum mate
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on March 04, 2012, 04:26:15 pm
Thank you, kind sir. Yeah, that's kinda' why I started making the videos. SEGA was a big part of my childhood. My brother bought all the systems and he favored SEGA from the beginning. I still remember him buying the Master System, the Genesis, SEGA CD, and so on.... Once he moved out, I carried on the tradition and bought the 32X, Saturn and Dreamcast when I could.

In short, I love me some SEGA. As much as I enjoy Nintendo, I got tired of seeing all the Nintendo reviews and retrospectives. It's like, "Hey, the plumber gets enough press; give it up for the Hedgehog!"

More reviews are on te way. I have Die Hard Trilogy (SAT) and Bio Hazard (SAT) in the works, and a few obscure ones.

Thank you very much for the welcome, and for subscribing. If you ever want to know more about a title I've already reviewed, or if you'd like to request a game, just hit me up.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: CrazyT on March 07, 2012, 01:29:16 pm
No problem mate, make yourself at home lol. It's a great place out here.

I hope your video's get more recognition :P. You have any goals?
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on March 08, 2012, 01:02:22 am
Hey, I always feel at home with Sega fans.

If they get more recognition, that's great. If not, I still enjoy making them. As far as goals, I want to make movies. I'd be happy editing trailers for a shitty straight-to-video distributor and making little indie flicks in my spare time. I love doing the work; working with cameras, editing, etc. I even dig acting. That's the goal.... How about you?
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: CrazyT on March 09, 2012, 01:14:26 am
Well, i'd love to have goals when it comes to SEGA like the guys who are running SEGAbits, or you with your passion for recording, but gotta be honest that i'm just your typical SEGAfan who simply loves what SEGA has delivered since the beginning. I've owned all the consoles as well, except for the mega drive extentsions, for obvious reasons. SEGA for some reason made alot of mistakes during that time towards the 32 bit era. A shame because I would say 32 bit era could have been a great time for SEGA

I like conversing about SEGA alot though so i'm found regularly over some of the well known boards. Mainly the sega forums (lol).
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on March 23, 2012, 11:48:50 pm
I agree, SEGA made some poor marketing decisions back then, but I love the Saturn. For me, it was the best 32-bit console released. I still play my Saturn on a daily basis, while most of my PSX games collect dust. Even SEGA's mistakes - the 32X for example - still have some redeeming qualities. Still, flooding the market with so much hardware was a terrible move, in my opinion. Trying to support the Genesis, as well as the SEGA CD and Game Gear, only to release the 32X and Saturn.... No wonder retailers and consumers were both confused and pissed off....

Still, I love their shit. :D

Oh, I posted a couple of reviews - Bio Hazard and The Crow: City of Angels for SEGA Saturn.

Bio Hazard - Saturn (JAP)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCi2oCsElcg

The Crow: City of Angels - Saturn (NA)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zcjj8xUsnvo&feature=channel
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: JetSetRadioForever on May 29, 2012, 07:59:39 am
Really like the vids. Too bad you don't get more views. There's total crap out there that get tens of thousands.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on May 31, 2012, 02:27:22 am
Hehe. Thanks bro. I appreciate it. Everyone has their own taste, and I know some viewers don't like all the cursing and "bashing".... Seriously, I said that Star Fox's framerate gives me a fucking headache. I said that I dug the game in spite of it, but that's bashing?! What kind of sense does that make?!

Another thing that kinda' drives me nuts is that my negative reviews get so much more attention than the positive ones. A lot of folks have told me I should just review bad games. I don't wanna' be an AVGN clone. There's plenty of those guys around. Don't get me wrong; I love his shit, but that's not me. I like talking about games that I like, like Bio Hazard, Soul Star, Shadow Squadron, Zaxxon's Motherbase 2000, Wolfchild, Rise of the Dragon, Shenmue, Panzer Dragoon Saga, etc. Those reviews are the most fun for me, because I enjoy sharing shit I actually like with others. LOL!

Sega's always been a part of my life. When brother first bought the Master System, the Genesis, and Sega CD. Sega was there when I was fuckin' homeless for six months when I was 12. My mom and I were leaving AZ for CA via Greyhound, and my mom would give me quarters whenever she could. The big game at that time was Virtua Fighter, and I LOVED it! I thought it was amazing. Even when I was homeless, Sega was there. Hehe. I know it sounds stupid and silly, but it's the truth. That's why my show's called My Life with SEGA, ya' know?

Since I'm here, may as well throw out some news. I just got a Master System. It's the Model 1, so I can review the 'card' games. That's a must. I also snagged CIB North American copies of Panzer Dragoon's 1, 2 and Saga. I hope to review them eventually, but Saga's a BIG game. I've captured 8 hours of footage so far, and I'm just on the first disc. Whoof! It's gonna' take some time. I will say this, I'm loving the game.

Anyway, thank you for the kind words, JetSet. It's really encouraging. I'll be reviewing Judge Dredd (GEN) and Demolition Man (GEN/CD) next, followed by Universal Soldier (GEN) and True Lies (GEN). That will complete my Expendables tribute. After that, I'm tackling the Master System. I've missed that thing so much.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: Barry the Nomad on June 02, 2012, 09:03:50 am
I've been largely quiet in this topic (actually I've been totally quiet), but I have watched your videos and I like them. So much so that mylifewithsega is now a member of the SEGAbits family!

Really looking forward to seeing your new videos, dude. Especially now that they'll be getting our backing.   8)

Btw, regarding Cliffhanger, I picked it up for $5 last week and it's not awful. I mean, I'll admit it's not a good game. But unlike most of the licensed SEGA CD movie games, it's actually playable. No FMV nonsense. Feels like a stripped down fan made beat em up. I guess if I had to say a few positives about it: the videos fill the screen, at least from side to side, and retain the widescreen look. So at least they're not in a tiny box like most SEGA CD videos.

Also, the music is great, and the snowboarding segments show off what the SEGA CD is capable of. SO it's really a better tech demo than an actual game. Which is why I think so many have it on their "best games" lists, even though it's pretty bad.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: nuckles87 on June 02, 2012, 01:21:46 pm
I've begun watching your videos the moment I heard you were joining the SEGAbits family, and I have to say they make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

You are an awesome SEGA fan XD. I LOVED your Starfox skit in the Soul Star review. That, I'm sure, is how a lot of Genesis fans felt back in the day. I am curious, though, why you never brought up Virtua Racer back in the day. Genesis can run polygons to, Nintybitches.  8)

Quote
Another thing that kinda' drives me nuts is that my negative reviews get so much more attention than the positive ones. A lot of folks have told me I should just review bad games. I don't wanna' be an AVGN clone. There's plenty of those guys around. Don't get me wrong; I love his shit, but that's not me. I like talking about games that I like, like Bio Hazard, Soul Star, Shadow Squadron, Zaxxon's Motherbase 2000, Wolfchild, Rise of the Dragon, Shenmue, Panzer Dragoon Saga, etc. Those reviews are the most fun for me, because I enjoy sharing shit I actually like with others. LOL!

Yeah, too many people have reviews only focused on negative stuff these days. I mean, I love Nostalgia Critic, but some of my favorite reviews are things he clearly has a passion for.

You clearly have a passion for these games, and that's what makes your reviews so refreshing and fun. I can only listen to so many people bitch about games.

And because you do both ends of the spectrum, I've learned that not everyone hates Soul Star XD. Only review of the game I've read was a negative one, so I assumed that was how most people felt, so I haven't given it much of a chance.

I REALLY need to play Rise of the Dragon. I bought it six months ago, and I still haven't done anything with it....

btw, if you need donations of rare games, ask me. I might have them or be able to obtain them. I'd be more then willing to loan you Snatcher for a few months ;).
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on June 02, 2012, 02:01:40 pm
I've been largely quiet in this topic (actually I've been totally quiet), but I have watched your videos and I like them. So much so that mylifewithsega is now a member of the SEGAbits family!

Really looking forward to seeing your new videos, dude. Especially now that they'll be getting our backing.   8)

Btw, regarding Cliffhanger, I picked it up for $5 last week and it's not awful. I mean, I'll admit it's not a good game. But unlike most of the licensed SEGA CD movie games, it's actually playable. No FMV nonsense. Feels like a stripped down fan made beat em up. I guess if I had to say a few positives about it: the videos fill the screen, at least from side to side, and retain the widescreen look. So at least they're not in a tiny box like most SEGA CD videos.

Also, the music is great, and the snowboarding segments show off what the SEGA CD is capable of. SO it's really a better tech demo than an actual game. Which is why I think so many have it on their "best games" lists, even though it's pretty bad.

Thanks, bro. I feel truly honored to be apart of the team. :)

Oh, I totally agree with you on Cliffhanger, but that snowboarding stage really pisses me off. For me, it tainted the whole experience. Like you said, the game both looks and sounds fantastic, but the wonky controls and difficulty ruined it. Seriously, I wanted to throw my controller through the fucking television after the 11th try. However, I will say this; it's way better than The Crow: City of Angels.... I'm dead serious, I hate that fucking game.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on June 02, 2012, 02:22:21 pm
I've begun watching your videos the moment I heard you were joining the SEGAbits family, and I have to say they make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

You are an awesome SEGA fan XD. I LOVED your Starfox skit in the Soul Star review. That, I'm sure, is how a lot of Genesis fans felt back in the day. I am curious, though, why you never brought up Virtua Racer back in the day. Genesis can run polygons to, Nintybitches.  8)

Yeah, too many people have reviews only focused on negative stuff these days. I mean, I love Nostalgia Critic, but some of my favorite reviews are things he clearly has a passion for.

You clearly have a passion for these games, and that's what makes your reviews so refreshing and fun. I can only listen to so many people bitch about games.

And because you do both ends of the spectrum, I've learned that not everyone hates Soul Star XD. Only review of the game I've read was a negative one, so I assumed that was how most people felt, so I haven't given it much of a chance.

I REALLY need to play Rise of the Dragon. I bought it six months ago, and I still haven't done anything with it....

btw, if you need donations of rare games, ask me. I might have them or be able to obtain them. I'd be more then willing to loan you Snatcher for a few months ;).

Hahaha! Thanks, bro. I really appreciate it. I'm looking forward to working with you guys. :)

LOL! First, I didn't mention Virtua Racing for Genesis because I hadn't played Virtua Racing until I bought a 32X years later. Second, at the time of the Soul Star review, I didn't have it. Which reminds me, I now own the Genesis, 32X and Saturn versions of Virtua Racing, so a review is on the way. I don't know when because I now have a Master System, so I'm anxious to review it. *jumps up and down*

I hear ya', man. Bitching gets old fast, and I'm like, "Why waste all that time ripping into it? Tell me about a good game then?"

God, I love Soul Star. Like I said, I totally missed it when it was first released. When I popped it in the CDX, I was just stunned. I've yet to beat it, but it's so much fun, and it's most certainly challenging. Give it another chance, bro.

I can't recommend Rise of the Dragon enough. From what I've been told, if you enjoy Snatcher, you'll dig Rise of the Dragon.

That is a most generous offer, kind sir. I may take you up that, but I need to finish Panzer Dragoon Saga and Shenmue. I need to do a Dreamcast review. I'm starting to feel like a slacker.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: Barry the Nomad on June 07, 2012, 03:50:13 pm
Just watched your Rise of the Dragon video, later parts of the game look awesome!

I actually bought the game over a year ago, for a low price thankfully, because when I played it it would freeze up whenever I checked my answering machine. After cleaning the disc and SEGA CD and seeing no change, I stopped playing. But I wonder if it's possible to play the game without checking my machine... I think my boss and my wife left messages or something?

Eh, game is cheap enough, I might just hit up a "disc only" buy it now auction and replace my wonky disc.

Speaking of discs, Rise of the Dragon had two versions of disc art in the us:

(http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j32/Africanus/segacd%20collection/RISEOFTHEDRAGON-2.jpg)

Phun phact.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on June 07, 2012, 05:17:31 pm
Thanks, bro! It's a great game and I'm sorry your copy won't work. I'm pretty sure you need to check your answering machine. However, you may be able to fake it by looking through an FAQ. I'm not sure.

I once owned both versions of Rise of the Dragon. My brother owned the original in the cardboard box while I later purchased the jewel case release when I started building up my own collection. Unfortunately, the fire consumed my Sega collection a few years back, so I repurchased it via Amazon. I now have the original release. From what I can tell, there's no difference other than the packaging and the CD art.

It's the same deal with Night Trap, I believe.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: Kori-Maru on July 07, 2012, 04:56:30 am
Dude, that last episode you did was fantastic and yes that spider lady had a fantastic ass. Are you planning to do some well-known games to do reviews on like The House of the Dead and Die Hard Arcade? Also, are you planning to do reviews on Sega eastern games. Those would make great episodes with your awesome sense of humour.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on July 08, 2012, 12:29:31 am
Dude, that last episode you did was fantastic and yes that spider lady had a fantastic ass. Are you planning to do some well-known games to do reviews on like The House of the Dead and Die Hard Arcade? Also, are you planning to do reviews on Sega eastern games. Those would make great episodes with your awesome sense of humour.

I'm glad you're digging the show, man. I'll do House of the Dead (SAT) and House of the Dead 2 (DC) once I figure out how I wanna' do it. My Stunner's fucked right now and I'm not sure I wanna' do a review using a controller.

I have two Die Hard reviews on my old channel (Die Hard Arcade and Die Hard Trilogy). I actually touch on the Japanese version of Arcade (Dynamite Deka). I'll be cutting both episodes into one and reposting it on the SEGAbits channel.

I did Bio Hazard (Resident Evil) for the Saturn. I do have more that I wanna' review, like Groove on Fight, Elevator Action 2, etc. I'll be doing the Japanese version of Sonic Jam, Zombie Revenge and Bio Hazard: Code Veronica soon.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: Kori-Maru on July 08, 2012, 10:05:57 pm
Sweet, I'll let some HOTD fans know of your work on my site.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on July 09, 2012, 03:02:00 am
Yes! I must be spread across this miserable planet like herpes.  ;D

Thanks, bro. I really appreciate it.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: Nameless 24 on October 11, 2012, 07:20:16 am
Could you do two on Alisia Dragoon and Soliel (if you can get these games), please?

I have played the former, but I don't know how to progress further on Level 2 for some reason, whilst the latter is something I am interested in.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on October 15, 2012, 01:49:32 am
Could you do two on Alisia Dragoon and Soliel (if you can get these games), please?

I have played the former, but I don't know how to progress further on Level 2 for some reason, whilst the latter is something I am interested in.

Whenever I should get ahold of those titles, you can bet I'll review 'em. I'm still playing through Panzer Dragoon Saga. I suck at RPG's. LOL!
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: Nameless 24 on October 16, 2012, 04:03:33 am
Whenever I should get ahold of those titles, you can bet I'll review 'em. I'm still playing through Panzer Dragoon Saga. I suck at RPG's. LOL!

Thanks for the heads up! :)

How is the game so far? I have the game but not the Saturn (the one I bought was a dud...).

RPGs can be easy to get into once you figure out the menus and general tactics in the game...all it takes is practise! :D
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on October 16, 2012, 03:00:07 pm
No worries, bro.

Right now, the game's awesome. Generally, I'm not a huge fan of RPGs because I dislike turn-based combat, having to maintain anywhere from 3-5 different characters with their own strengths and weaknesses, and the fantasy worlds in which they typically take place....

Panzer Dragoon Saga finally made it fun for me. You're a loner whose only companion is a dragon that you treat very much like a pet, as well as a combat buddy. The world has this depressing Blade Runner-like atmosphere that sucked me. As for the fighting mechanics, this game walked me through it nice and easy. Random encounters do annoy me still - because I'm not expecting 'em half the time - but Saga's made 'em fun for me. The creatures are beautifully rendered and there's a great sense of speed. Many encounters are in motion, mimicing the first two entries where you fly through a stage blasting shit. The music....

You know what, I gotta' save this for the review. Still, Saga's awesome and totally worth it's price tag.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: Nameless 24 on November 08, 2012, 06:09:01 am
No worries, bro.

Right now, the game's awesome. Generally, I'm not a huge fan of RPGs because I dislike turn-based combat, having to maintain anywhere from 3-5 different characters with their own strengths and weaknesses, and the fantasy worlds in which they typically take place....

Panzer Dragoon Saga finally made it fun for me. You're a loner whose only companion is a dragon that you treat very much like a pet, as well as a combat buddy. The world has this depressing Blade Runner-like atmosphere that sucked me. As for the fighting mechanics, this game walked me through it nice and easy. Random encounters do annoy me still - because I'm not expecting 'em half the time - but Saga's made 'em fun for me. The creatures are beautifully rendered and there's a great sense of speed. Many encounters are in motion, mimicing the first two entries where you fly through a stage blasting shit. The music....

You know what, I gotta' save this for the review. Still, Saga's awesome and totally worth it's price tag.

Sounds awesome! Looking forward to it!

I heard that you cannot flee from battles, is this true? As I get pretty fed up of fighting every enemy on occasion. :(

I am at the end of Billy Hatcher, but the last boss is so hard....it's as if Sonic Team want you to be very specific in what you need to do in order to beat the game!
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on November 08, 2012, 07:47:51 am
Hmmm. I thought there was a 'flee' option, but I'm not so sure. I had to put it down recently so I could concentrate on 32X and Sega CD month, as well as produce a DVD. Regardless, I fight everything just to build up Yu's strength and abilities....

Yes, my Dragoon's name is Yu.

Haven't played Billy Hatcher. I'll have to check it out.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: Nameless 24 on November 22, 2012, 08:15:46 am
Oh Yu.  ;)

I am on the final boss, but the way you have to hurt him
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: Barry the Nomad on November 22, 2012, 05:55:14 pm
I'd love to see you (AJ) take on some games outside your comfort zone (if you have one ;) ) or games that others might think negatively of (Billy Hatcher) that you have very little (if any) preconceived notions of.

Because it is a game that you might love, or you might hate.

Also, would love to see some Genesis board game based video games on MLWS. I own, and love, Risk. Jeopardy is also pretty fun. Wheel of Fortune is fucked up, I hated it. Never tried Clue.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on November 22, 2012, 10:25:01 pm
I'd love to see you (AJ) take on some games outside your comfort zone (if you have one ;) ) or games that others might think negatively of (Billy Hatcher) that you have very little (if any) preconceived notions of.

Because it is a game that you might love, or you might hate.

Also, would love to see some Genesis board game based video games on MLWS. I own, and love, Risk. Jeopardy is also pretty fun. Wheel of Fortune is fucked up, I hated it. Never tried Clue.

The only games where I feel outside of my comfort zone are role-playing-games and sports titles. I'm not fond of sports to begin with, and I rarely pick up an RPG. However, I'll eventually do Panzer Dragoon Saga and Shadowrun.

I've already done some games where I had no preconceived notions, such as Soul Star, Mazin Saga Mutant Fighter and Zero Tolerance.

As for the board game titles, I may do Clue. I used to play that all the time, as well as Monopoly.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: ungibbed on November 29, 2012, 08:55:27 am
Finally made it here after much conversation over the past months on YouTube.

Now stick that in your Genesis!

Been loving the laid back style of your reviews and more often then not, clued you in on a few of Sega's dirty little secrets. I loved working with the old systems and even the Genesis itself. It was a beast in the right hands just as the Master System was before it.

I hated lazy coders though. The well known game Chessmaster came across my desk one day and it had little to no AI compared to my old Apple II.

When you can checkmate the computer three times in a row with the exact same pattern, I rejected that turkey after lugging my old Apple in which was a far smarter opponent.

Lazy developers and bad code (and "perks" given to some third parties) annoy me. Wish there was a form with the option of "stick it in your Genesis"...

Haha!
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on November 29, 2012, 12:31:23 pm
Dude, welcome to the forums!

Thank you for the kind words, as well as the inside info. Admittedly, I do feel kinda' bad for raggin' on the Saturn port of Virtua Racing.

I think you mentioned how easy Chessmaster was during the interview (COMING SOON!). You could checkmate the computer three times in a row using the exact same pattern, huh? I suppose you know what that means?

*dramatic pause*

Captain Kirk was framed.

Forgive me. I'm a dork. Back on topic we shall go. What were these so-called "perks"?
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: ungibbed on November 29, 2012, 04:03:07 pm
One rather large third party developer (*cough... EA! Sniff*).

Product submissions from standard third party titles would have a typical two to three week turnaround as we all provided our feedback and any issues that might have come up during that time. On average we would juggle around four to six games between us with assigned projects.

An example would be my manager handing me a specific game or even a publisher (being a RPG nut, I got Working Designs!)  to work with and get the game through a QA checklist but still needing a panel review, we would swap a game for a couple days and play through it adding our thoughts of what could be improved or difficulty balance etc.

Our standard projects were always pushed back when a EA title came in for QA. The difference? They got a three day pass on many games including the first Need For Speed (the only NFS) for the Saturn. Our checklist was essentially tossed out the window to rush that game to market. This was often the norm for all games from EA which I thought was shit and rather unfair to other publishers but since the same games often hit the PlayStation, we both wanted the Saturn games on the shelf the same day of release

It would piss me off to wait but due to the difficulties of porting to the Saturn were an issue, some games were given the green light despite a title not passing QA scores.

On a side note, the Need For Speed port was an easy one to the Saturn from the 3DO as both systems used quads. Looking at the original PlayStation port of the same game. (It ran faster but had a lot of clipping due to the translation to triangles. The same results also were seen in the original Road Rash port from the 3DO

Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on November 29, 2012, 11:52:49 pm
One rather large third party developer (*cough... EA! Sniff*).

Product submissions from standard third party titles would have a typical two to three week turnaround as we all provided our feedback and any issues that might have come up during that time. On average we would juggle around four to six games between us with assigned projects.

An example would be my manager handing me a specific game or even a publisher (being a RPG nut, I got Working Designs!)  to work with and get the game through a QA checklist but still needing a panel review, we would swap a game for a couple days and play through it adding our thoughts of what could be improved or difficulty balance etc.

Our standard projects were always pushed back when a EA title came in for QA. The difference? They got a three day pass on many games including the first Need For Speed (the only NFS) for the Saturn. Our checklist was essentially tossed out the window to rush that game to market. This was often the norm for all games from EA which I thought was shit and rather unfair to other publishers but since the same games often hit the PlayStation, we both wanted the Saturn games on the shelf the same day of release

It would piss me off to wait but due to the difficulties of porting to the Saturn were an issue, some games were given the green light despite a title not passing QA scores.

On a side note, the Need For Speed port was an easy one to the Saturn from the 3DO as both systems used quads. Looking at the original PlayStation port of the same game. (It ran faster but had a lot of clipping due to the translation to triangles. The same results also were seen in the original Road Rash port from the 3DO

Here I thought their handling of the James Bond franchise was more than enough reason to dislike EA....

Speaking of EA, have you ever played The Immortal for Genesis? It's an EA title. I know it was developed initially for the AppleII, but it was later ported to the Genesis/Mega Drive. My brother picked it up way back when because he heard it was extremely violent - same reason he picked up Night Trap, if I remember correctly - and....

Jesus Christ, this game's fucking HARD! First time I've played it in almost 15 years and I died in the very fuckin' room I started in! Damn!

Back on topic, it's amazing to me that certain publishers would get a pass. It shouldn't have been an option. Shit games not only hurt the publisher, but the console as well. They're off taking whatever time they need to correct those issues.

That's something that kind of bothers me with Nocturne of the Moonlight for Saturn. It had already been released for PlayStation, yet they took the time to expand on the castle a bit, throw in a new boss or two, etc; however, it doesn't look quite as good as the PlayStation original and the framerate takes a dip whenever there's more than a few cahracters and/or effects on-screen....

The Saturn was fuckin' made for this. Why didn't Konami take advantage of the hardware?
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: ungibbed on November 30, 2012, 05:34:37 am
Your guess is as good as mine when it came to questionable (and very poor) decisions over the years who published games on Sega consoles. The very last Genesis game I reviewed was Power Piggs. A shitty platformer where you jump around collecting donuts. The concept was awful, many games from the NES had better graphics, it was just amazing that someone actually thought something like that would be "fun"...

If I still had the cart, I'd gift wrap it and send it to the AVGN for an exclusive review.

When it comes to The Immortal, I loved that game! I first played it on the NES and it was a great effort for the old 8 bit money machine. The Genesis version floored me with it's much better sound and detail. It was nearly pixel perfect to the Amiga release which was argued to be the best version of the game due to the awesome audio abilities of the computer but the visuals looked just the same as the Genesis.

The only computer at the time which had the best sound was the Apple //GS but finding games that used the full 16 bit features for the system was difficult since it could still run all the original Apple ][ games from years past and even after the system was discontinued by Apple in favor of the Mac.

Back on topic, I did spend some quality time playing the Genesis version of The Immortal and loved it but found that most of the problems I had were due to the floaty d-pad of the original 3 button controller which wasn't the most ideal for isometric games. I used the arcade stick for a while but still had little luck.

When the six button Arcade pads were released, I replaced all my controllers with those tiny bananas and I would easily say it had the best directional pad of any controller I've used in the past to present (analog sticks aside).
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on January 07, 2013, 11:55:25 am
Here's a little teaser I put together for February 27th. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiNld3lFPmg
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: crackdude on January 07, 2013, 01:49:30 pm
Having a hard time finding a copy of PAL Shenmue II?


http://www.consolemad.co.uk/sega/dreamcast/uk-dreamcast-games/6633-shenmue-ii.html (http://www.consolemad.co.uk/sega/dreamcast/uk-dreamcast-games/6633-shenmue-ii.html)


I was planing on buying it myself, but do go ahead, it's a great deal :)
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on January 07, 2013, 01:57:05 pm
Having a hard time finding a copy of PAL Shenmue II?


http://www.consolemad.co.uk/sega/dreamcast/uk-dreamcast-games/6633-shenmue-ii.html (http://www.consolemad.co.uk/sega/dreamcast/uk-dreamcast-games/6633-shenmue-ii.html)


I was planing on buying it myself, but do go ahead, it's a great deal :)

Hahaha! Thanks, bro. I can't afford it right now. I blew my "flitter" money on old copies of SEGA Visions and a SEGA Menacer/T2:The Arcade Game package CIB. I gotta' behave for a month or so. Go for it. :)
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: Barry the Nomad on January 07, 2013, 02:35:38 pm
Oh man... I remember when it was announced Shenmue II wasn't to be released in the US, and I flipped, learned how to use a boot disc (bought DC-X) and imported Shenmue II. I felt so 1337 at the time.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on January 07, 2013, 02:45:20 pm
Dude, I was pissed. I was already using the GameShark to play imports from Japan, but I wasn't sure how a PAL title would look on an NTSC TV. I know how to work around that crap now.

How do you mean by 1337?
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: Barry the Nomad on January 07, 2013, 02:53:33 pm
1337 dude, LEET aka elite! I was probably the only person in the Midwest playing Shenmue II at the time.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: crackdude on January 07, 2013, 03:27:01 pm
I was a bit dumb back then.


I remember seeing a bunch of Shenmue II games in a store at super clearance price when the DC bombed. They were clearing up inventory. I didn't know what Shenmue was.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: Randroid on January 07, 2013, 05:55:35 pm
1337 dude, LEET aka elite! I was probably the only person in the Midwest playing Shenmue II at the time.

lol, Day one purchase at $125, NO REGRETS!
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: Barry the Nomad on January 07, 2013, 07:08:11 pm
I think my copy was $50 plus $10 shipping. Bought it from some online retailer, maybe NCSX?
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: Randroid on January 07, 2013, 08:10:05 pm
I think my copy was $50 plus $10 shipping. Bought it from some online retailer, maybe NCSX?

Oh you bastard, ebgames circa 2001 was such a rip... no, no wait, No Regrets!
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: ungibbed on January 09, 2013, 10:19:38 pm
One exclusive game to the Sega CD I liked was Dune. Was pretty awesome back in the day.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: Kori-Maru on January 17, 2013, 12:24:02 am
You know what? True Lies was on AMC last week.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on January 17, 2013, 03:35:28 am
One exclusive game to the Sega CD I liked was Dune. Was pretty awesome back in the day.

That one's now on my list, because I actually love the David Lynch movie. Wouldn't mind giving her a go; especially since I never played it.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: ungibbed on March 26, 2013, 11:06:19 pm
That one's now on my list, because I actually love the David Lynch movie. Wouldn't mind giving her a go; especially since I never played it.

I think you may like it, it's nothing like any other. Decent voice acting and graphics. The music could be better but it plays much like a PC game instead of your typical console game.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on March 28, 2013, 09:16:31 pm
That sounds tempting. I'll have to check it out.

Here, take a look at this. Whatcha' think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdMH71T1J-g
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: TJKitsune on March 29, 2013, 08:54:21 am
Now I wish I had a copy of House of the Dead on Saturn.. :(
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on March 29, 2013, 11:25:15 am
LOL! Dude, it's so fuckin' expensive; especially if you try for an American copy. Still, it is nice to have.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: TJKitsune on April 04, 2013, 09:19:01 am
Expensive, yes..  Still kicking myself when I saw a copy at a local Disc Replay for $30 and not grabbing it!  Ah well..  The arcade about 40 minutes from me actually has the arcade version, so I could just always pop over there for a fix..  At least II-IV are all pretty cheap to get still.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: ungibbed on April 10, 2013, 01:55:44 am
That sounds tempting. I'll have to check it out.

Here, take a look at this. Whatcha' think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdMH71T1J-g

Love it, fuckin' zombies... It's how most people look coming into work on Monday.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: Nameless 24 on April 10, 2013, 06:41:25 am
I have HotD 2 and 3 on the Wii but I can't beat them.

I wonder if MyLifeWithSega will ever review the Tempo series? (Tempo and Super Tempo in particular?)
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on April 10, 2013, 01:33:49 pm
Love it, fuckin' zombies... It's how most people look coming into work on Monday.

That's about right. I wish I could shoot them too. LOL!

I'll eventually review Tempo, but it's not very high on my list. I have so much shit I wanna' tackle first, like Shinobi, SEGA Saturn, as well as the Panzer Dragoon trilogy.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: ungibbed on April 11, 2013, 11:51:08 pm
That's about right. I wish I could shoot them too. LOL!

I'll eventually review Tempo, but it's not very high on my list. I have so much shit I wanna' tackle first, like Shinobi, SEGA Saturn, as well as the Panzer Dragoon trilogy.

I loved the first Panzer Dragoon game so much it was a complete nerdgasm! I remember the night I bought the Saturn and a few games and PD was one of them. I was in awe of the creative world that came right out of nowhere and kept me wanting more for being a rail shooter.

Years later playing PD: Orta for the original Xbox, the complete original Saturn game was a unlockable bonus along with so much more. That single Xbox game was a true gift for the fans of the original games. Despite being on 480p on my older CRT "HD" set, the original PD with the mesh pattern transparencies didn't look so hot but the rest really did hold up well.

I'd love to see a HD trilogy remake for the current systems (yes even for the closet Wii U haters). Very few people got to experience PD: Saga, let alone Zwei.

That would be something smart to do so I doubt Sega will ever follow through with that mind bender still thinking if the games would sell on a modern system.
Title: Re: My Life with Sega: Retro Game Reviews
Post by: mylifewithsega on April 12, 2013, 04:51:10 pm
I loved the first Panzer Dragoon game so much it was a complete nerdgasm! I remember the night I bought the Saturn and a few games and PD was one of them. I was in awe of the creative world that came right out of nowhere and kept me wanting more for being a rail shooter.

Years later playing PD: Orta for the original Xbox, the complete original Saturn game was a unlockable bonus along with so much more. That single Xbox game was a true gift for the fans of the original games. Despite being on 480p on my older CRT "HD" set, the original PD with the mesh pattern transparencies didn't look so hot but the rest really did hold up well.

I'd love to see a HD trilogy remake for the current systems (yes even for the closet Wii U haters). Very few people got to experience PD: Saga, let alone Zwei.

That would be something smart to do so I doubt Sega will ever follow through with that mind bender still thinking if the games would sell on a modern system.

Very nice. I didn't buy the Saturn until it had been discontinued, so I didn't play Panzer Dragoon until mid-1999. Thought it was fantastic, so I picked up Panzer Dragoon II Zwei. Great fucking game. Even had the Japanese versions at one time....

Saga's just....WOW!

I'm not a fan of Microsoft's consoles. Didn't care for the original Xbox beyond the jukebox feature and the 360 lost my support after the second "red ring of death". It's a shame, because I did want Shenmue II and Orta. Still, I'm not giving them anymore money as far as consoles are concerned.

However, I'd enjoy seeing HD remakes of the trilogy, or - at the very least - a re-issue of the original untouched versions on one disc with a really good documentary.