[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuMwSLinQB0[/youtube]

Absentia wrote:
It's about time I got me one of these!!

I'll throw down the gauntlet:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8EDpJ-aIM8[/youtube]

I've waited almost 20 years to play this... Hope it's worth it.

Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle (the man's a bleeding master), Mid-Morning Matters (with Alan Partridge), The Saint (a show with over 100 episodes and never bores - what more can I ask?), Bob's Burgers.

And tonight, the new season of Archer begins! oooo I can't wait.

It's not. Just gets more and more ridiculous as you go on. Don't be expecting a good payoff.

IDK... thought it was alright. Rather different, at least, and good animation on the game models (cutscenes not so much).

Also finally played through Loom. Also liked it, although it felt a bit like... it was too easy. Plus the main character's design was just lazy, wasn't it?

Just found out these exist:




God bless Germany.

Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle (the man's a bleeding master), Mid-Morning Matters (with Alan Partridge)
http://i.imgur.com/71q8uxV.gif

Love Steward Lee and I'm Alan Partridge is one of my favourite shows.

Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle (the man's a bleeding master
Stewart Lee is excellent. If you haven't already seen it, "If You Want a Milder Comedian Please Ask For One" is one of the funniest things I've seen for ages. And he really rips into Top Gear.

Was pissing myself at The Keiser Report on Friday as per usual.

Yeah. With Stewart Lee, sometimes he's a little bit too british for me, because I obviously am not exposed as much to the sort of TV celebrities, and presenters he goes on about, but the style of his performance and his mastery of the audience is incredible. He's a real artist.

And yeah, love Alan Partridge, ever since The Day Today. I'm Alan Partridge is the best show, but MMM is interesting in the way how he can make a whole show, just sitting inside that booth. Quite good, really. KMKYWAP was a bit too exhausting and hit or miss, at times.

Lost Odyssey


UK Amiga (and DOS) classic.

Robota: Lost beta (PC, 2012)
http://i.imgur.com/jZpXkyy.jpg
Robota is an exploration game. Like in Jetpac you're marooned in an alien world and must collect fuel to get the hell out of there. Apart from a few words at the beggining and at the ending, though, nothing else is spoken. What is left then, is a Dear Esther sort of game where, though, a certain number of things made it, imo, a superior experience. While the game is, neither technologically nor artistically as beautiful as DE, it is much more stylized. There's a visual filter that simulates the view from inside your helmet that gives a superb sense of otherworldliness that is taken to incredible heights by the absolutely perfect soundtrack.
The fact that you have the possibility to wander freely around the planet might make it less photogenic than DE's tunnel-vision, but the gift of freedom, pacing and finding small details yourself, instead of being taken there by a corridor is much more satisfying. Apart from this, the fact that there is an objective in finding the 4 cans of fuel (even if it's "stupid" from a logical standpoint), does give the minimal challenge to make this a "proper" game.
http://i.imgur.com/lOoWzbY.jpg
The game is still in beta stage, but can be tried out here: http://www.indiedb.com/games/robota-lost


Balloon Diaspora (PC, 2011)
http://i.imgur.com/cRaBUMw.png
Balloon Diaspora is a short adventure game, with a very strong taste of the whimsical and ethereal.
You play a traveller in a weird land where this sort of stick figures live. The "game" has absolutely no challenge, as all the interaction you can do is talking to the various characters. After having talked to everyone about everything, you have nothing else to do. This, however, is missing the point completely. While it's far from being a masterpiece, it does succeed in taking the player to a foreign world and explore the weird culture of these stick-people. The game sports 4 different locations, and travelling between them you get a skippable sequence where you can ride the balloon. There is always darkness with a shred of light, giving presence to the world.
Above all, this is an experience in immersion, which it surprisingly succeds in a game with no character animation. It just establishes the game-rules so well, that you're really immersed beautifully in it for this short ride.
http://i.imgur.com/HdH4s2N.jpg
Download free here: http://cardboardcomputer.com/games/balloon-diaspora/


Black Box (browser, 2012)
http://i.imgur.com/lcDzjbD.jpg
Black Box is a short puzzle game in the vein of Windosill where you explore the titular box. While the concept is certainly clear and simple, it never ceases to feel inventive and endearing. The "action" takes place in a single screen as you watch your actions take place in progressive transformations. It can be quite challenging, but the fact that everything you need is there makes it impossible to feel cheated.
Impossible not to recommend as it's kawaii art-style really makes it a very lovely puzzle you'll definitely want to explore.
http://i.imgur.com/CkTcm84.jpg
The game isn't free to play until the end but you can get a taste of it here: http://www.fr.eyezmaze.com/2012/07/black-box.html

YOU ALL SUCK (except Rakim)

^I was going here to post it... Just don't know what to say really.

Another genius passes away young. He constantly wrestled with the medium and you always felt he hadn't quite delivered his masterpiece yet, but now we'll never know how far he'd have gone.

Bangai-O

^

I once considered getting an SC-1000 but it'd just take up space and be used once or something.

Your laptop is a beast, ryudo

Absentia wrote:Last night, I watched Rashomon, and I'm certainly glad I did.

Is that really how you remember it?

Have you Falcomophiles seen this: http://www.siliconera.com/2013/02/22/25 ... iconera%29

Best thing I've watched in a long time

Lizzie & Sarah

I really can't imagine why they didn't make it into a full series. It's like a Jaaaaaaaaam sitcom.

http://i.imgur.com/F0HoEwJ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/YNv6DAb.jpg

11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:

12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven , and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again ; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

From the excellent clocktower.fr fansite ( http://www.clocktower.fr/index.php/haunting-ground ):

Haunting Ground est un jeu développé et édité par Capcom. Sortit fin avril 2005 au Japon -nommé Demento- et en Europe (début mai pour l’Amérique du nord), ce titre est passé assez inaperçu auprès du grand public, mais a fait couler pas mal d’encre. Pas sur le contenu de celui-ci, ni sur ses qualités intrinsèques, mais plutôt sur ses origines. En effet, d’un point de vu gameplay, le jeu se rapproche énormément de Clock Tower. Fiona Belli, jeune fille tout juste majeure, se réveille -après un accident de voiture- dans un étrange château où sont menées d’horribles expériences. Celle-ci va devoir trouver un moyen de s’enfuir.

Certains n’hésitent pas à dire que Haunting Ground a été développé comme étant Clock Tower 4, ce qui semble être la théorie la plus probable, d’autant que certaines personnes ayant travaillées sur Clock Tower 3 font partie du staff de Haunting Ground, tels que Hisanori Ohtsuki (Programmeur), Yukio Andoh (Designer), Noboru Sugimura (Scénariste), Kôji Nakajima (Producteur) et Tatsuya Minami (Producteur exécutif).
Certains d’entre eux ont également travaillés sur Resident Evil 4. Quel rapport ? J’y viendrai quelques lignes plus bas…

Donc, s’il est plus ou moins établi que Haunting Ground a bien été développé originalement comme un Clock Tower, la raison du changement de cap reste plus ou moins obscure. La théorie qui revient le plus souvent est que l’érotisme qui se dégage du titre était en inéquation avec l’ambiance de la franchise, ce qui aurait poussé les développeurs à en faire un titre totalement original.

Si Haunting Ground / Demento reprend bon nombre d’éléments issus de la franchise Clock Tower (Ennemi récurrent, stress, cachettes, etc.) et de Clock Tower 3 (les scénariis sont presque les mêmes), les inspirations (pour ne pas dire pompage ou recyclage) ne s’arrêtent pas là.
Et c’est là que je ressors ma carte Resident Evil 4.

Pour ceux qui l’ignorent, RE4 a eu un développement plus que chaotique. Á plusieurs reprises les programmeurs ont revus leur copie, changeant ainsi plusieurs fois de scénario, d’environnement et de protagonistes.
Ainsi, il est intéressant de savoir que la toute première version de RE4 avait pour héros un homme ayant été l’objet des expériences d’Umbrella Corp., un homme aux cheveux blanc nommé… Dante !
Et oui, au début des années 2000, on ne faisait pas de gâchis chez Capcom, et c’est ainsi que la toute première beta de RE4 a posée les bases d’une nouvelle franchise à succès : Devil May Cry.
Les autres reliquats du développement de Resident Evil 4 –du moins, pour certains d’entre eux- échapperont à la corbeille pour servir à l’élaboration d’autres titres de l’éditeur.
Ainsi, Haunting Ground aura repris à RE4 certains décors qui auront plus ou moins été modifiés pour que l’on ne repère pas la supercherie.
Raté…

Abbreviated translation:

"... Some don't hesitate in saying that Haunting Ground was developed as Clock Tower 4, which is the most probable theory, especially as some of CT3's staff reprised roles in HG (Hisanori Ohtsuki (Programmer), Yukio Andoh (Designer), Noboru Sugimura (Scenario), Kôji Nakajima (Producer) et Tatsuya Minami (Exec. Producer).
However some of them also worked on RE4.
So, if it's more or less established that HG was originally developed as a CT, the reason for changing its title and direction is more or less obscure. The theory that comes up most often is that the underlying erotism clashed with the environment of the series, and made the developers go for an all-new title."
and then it goes on showing, with screenshots, the similarities with RE4's environments.

So, a little from column A, a little from column B. But, of course, this has CT written all over it, and barely any RE. It's a good thing.

Thank you.

In meantime, I got this book: http://www.hkupress.org/Common/Reader/P ... 9888083367

I'll let you know if it's Shenmue relevant once I finish it.

Yep!

I just had to butt in, hadn't I...

http://i.imgur.com/1ssxfEm.jpg
I've never actually played it, but its one of my most wanted games for when I get back into playing again.

I love Afrika, ... it's a game with an amazing atmosphere. Even if you're not interested in photography it hooks you in with it's wonderful soundtrack and it's gameplay is just as thrilling as any other "stealth/sniping" game. Getting that perfect shot is just as cool as in Far Cry 2/3...

SIREN is one of the horror greats, imo... the PS3 episode really nailed it on production values and ironed out some annoying kinks of the PS2 games, and again, offers an amazing atmosphere...

Writing a more detailed outline for my movie project DESERT while listening to AM Number Stations for inspiration (they play a part in this story).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbhCeWtX9sg

This shit is starting to scare me now.

I have this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Conet_Project

It's absolutely wonderful.

1 Shenmue & Shenmue II
2 Red Seeds Profile
3 Virtua Tennis 2
4 Yakuza
5 Shadow of the Colossus
6 The Neverhood
7 Raw Danger!
8 The Path
9 Far Cry 2
10 Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings

There's a good mix.

While I beat a lot of games especially in the first half of 2013, not a whole lot of them were from that year. In fact, according to my records, I only bought five 2013 games (and one of them was a re-release). So maybe next year I should give a better best games of 2013 list.

Of what I did play, Attack of the Friday Monsters! was the best. It was just a little snippet of what a regular Boku no Natsuyasumi game is, but it felt more apt as a portable game than the games from that series that came out on PSP (where they always felt to me like "standard" console games, where you'd be playing sitting down. The nostalgia from 70s Japan is there. The simple and rewarding gameplay is there as well. In the end it's such a pleasant experience that it's hard not to love it. And for the first time, I could actually understand everything they were saying. Brilliant.

Papers Please was great as well. A very simple gameplay experience that starts getting increasingly complex, and full of tiny little details. Plus the concept in itself is great. To play a customs officer sounds like a joke but the actual gameplay is entertaining and even addictive, and the story wrapped around it is surprising. Its crushing setting reminded me a little of Cartlife...

Animal Crossing was great. Probably the best one yet. But it's a game where you tend to consume it intensely for a few weeks, and then as your mind wanders to someplace else it's very hard to get back into it. I can't recall much more than endless island raids!

GTA V was alright, standard. Having three characters was interesting especially for the non-story portion, but as characters in a story I didn't find them very interesting.

Proteus was great... but not really a game. But certainly very engaging, as time really does fly by as you explore it, mostly with your ears.

400 Years was cool. Simple yet interesting gameplay mechanic. Very short though (it is free).

I am looking forward to playing Black Flag, Two Souls, Bioshock Infinite, Gone Home, The Stanley Parable, Brothers, Kentucky Route Zero in 2014 and commenting on them in 2015. Ta-ra

There's an interesting european company (danes) that did very hard games indeed.
HG101 had a pretty good article on them a few years ago: http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/zyrinx/zyrinx.htm

Apart from the difficulty the games also had interesting technical feats to them. Red Zone, which was a cult game from my childhood, having seen it in the SEGA mags, but only getting to play it much later, especially, since it had a lot of 3D effects, FMV and two portions of gameplay, since you piloted a heli but also had on-foot missions.

They went on to make the Hitman games as IO Interactive. They used to be hard, as well.

Thank you... This has made me so happy. What a way to start my Sunday.

SEGA's been publishing some great interviews with the team responsible for the 3D ports of its arcade classics (including 3 Yu Suzuki pieces): http://blogs.sega.com/2015/01/12/sega-3d-classics-3d-afterbunner-ii-%E2%80%93-a-classic-reborn-part-1/

#1 SEGA’s permanent storage warehouse must be a gaming paradise. Imagine, all of SEGA's machines under one roof...

#2 Hiroshi Iuchi, director of Radiant Silvergun, Ikaruga Gradius 5, etc designed a bonus Special Mode in After Burner 2. Waaah..

EDIT: forgot to add part 2 of the interview http://blogs.sega.com/2015/01/13/

and #3 the fact that they captured actual crowd and mechanical sounds from the arcade machine is amazing.

Outstanding work, BlueMue! Thank you! Ausgezeichnet!

..."And the Wizard of Booze" ?!

Apparently this was once Flying Hamster 2: http://tinycartridge.com/post/817938535 ... rom-wonder

^Apart from VC games, I would suggest you take a look at the Guild series of games (especially Attack of the Friday Monsters as I recall you having an interest in the Boku no Natsuyasumi series), as well as Shovel Knight and Mighty Switch Force. Bloody Gunvolt are still not out in Europe but I am also looking forward to Outrun 3D. Yumi's Odd Odyssey (Sayonara Umihara Kawase) is another gem, though quite pricy.

Attack of the Friday Monsters! is, just as I'd expected, really, really endearing so far. Just about the most innocent thing I've played in a long time, and that actually counts for a helluva lot. I love things like this every now and then, taking a break from the usual combat and complication of other games. It's refreshing. I'm also a total sucker for nostalgic stories about childhood, and the Japanese seem to have a greater knack and interest in this stuff than those in the west. Loving it so far.
And special bonus: pre-rendered backgrounds!
Always a plus.

A bit of a curve ball, but you may have read (or watched the movie adaptation) of Tekkonkinkreet by Taiyou Matsumoto. Well, another of his series, Sunny , is being published right now and is totally about being a kid in 70s Japan, much like this game. I love it.

I noticed my list had a fair share of absentees. There's a lot of games from really great series I like quite a bit that couldn't break the top 10. So I'll try to post my favourite series:
1. Shenmue
2. Yakuza (except Dead Souls)
3. The Legend of Zelda
4. Virtua Fighter
5. OutRun (especially the first and 2006)
6. Disaster Report-Raw Danger
7. Metal Gear Solid
8. Space Invaders (especially the first, '91, both Extremes and Infinity Gene)
9. Hotel Dusk-Last Window
10. MSR-PGR (especially MSR and PGR2)

So, comparing to the favourite games list, Shenmue, Yakuza and Raw Danger remain strong, the Virtua Tennis (only 2 is exceptional), Tetris (there are loads of bad Tetris games), and WarioWare (they're great but all too similar) series don't make the grade this time. Neither do oustees Far Cry or Age of Empires.
On the other hand, TLoZ, VF, OutRun and MGS (at least) make their due appearance.

8 Bit Horse's best 2D games of 2014

^I agree. They're a pretty awesome website because they go in-depth with everything, as long as it's 2D. http://8bithorse.blogspot.pt/
And the website is horse-free. Its voice reminds me of Jared from Superjail, though hehe http://superjail.wikia.com/wiki/Jared

EDIT:
Oh my! New Leynos! That had flown under my radar!.. http://www.siliconera.com/2015/02/12/assualt-suit-leynos-shoots-first-stage/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFZQ2A9MdFc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DZL9I0PQrU

^I think I can relate to what you're feeling as I often think how it would be to own, for instance, just one game or something. To that effect, over the past couple of years I think I've sold or got rid of about 150 games, and I actually am enjoying getting games on the e-shop, like the GBC Zeldas, as they're not cluttering up any shelves neither were they a big burden on my money. I actually haven't played a tv-console in over a year (though I still am looking forward to Yakuza 5 on the PS3).
I guess I've been gradually trying to get to something like your Christmas box, though it might take a while. I'm not sure where it comes from in my case (I think it might come from something Bob Dylan said once, but I can't remember the exact quote atm), but there does seem to be a lot of stuff that isn't useful 364 days out of the year (or more), yet still takes up space and, ultimately, complicates our existence.
It would be nice to just have the stuff you need (including to be entertained) rather than everything else.
I once talked with a local mom&pop record store owner over here and he told me of a customer of his who had imposed on himself a strict "100 record" limit, where everytime he bought a new record from him, he'd get rid of one of his old ones. That struck a chord with the way i see things, and sometimes it feels like it'd be better to just throw things out rather than hold on to them.
Who are we holding these things for?
(sorry about rambling there for a bit)