Gamesugar

September 18, 2012

Review – Jet Set Radio

Review Jet Set Radio
Sega plays the funky dealer for another revisit to the golden age of Dreamcast with Jet Set Radio, which like Space Channel 5, remains one of the most romanticized titles from those gaming days gone by, now back by popular demand with an HD makeover.

Players are once again invited to strap-on their magnetically driven in-line skates to hit the chaotic streets of Tokyo-To, while listening to what scientists largely agree is the greatest soundtrack for a videogame, ever.

If however, you weren’t a card carrying member of the Dreamcast faithful and find yourself new to the graffiti tagging play mechanic, let’s get scratchin.

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October 11, 2011

Review – Space Channel 5 Part 2

Filed under: Reviews — Tags: , , , , , , , , — TJ "Kyatt" Cordes @ 1:55 pm

Space Channel 5 Part 2
A long time ago, before Tetsuya Mizuguchi created a bunch of synthesthetic puzzle games, he worked for Sega, where he created Space Channel 5. The crazy retro-futuristic style made it one of the most iconic titles for the now-defunct Dreamcast. Last year, when Sega announced that it was going to re-release a series of the Dreamcast’s most popular games in HD for XBLA and PSN, it was only logical that they would include Space Channel 5…

…Part 2, the sequel which was only available for the Dreamcast in Japan. Well, I guess it technically counts, even though a lot of the world knows it better as a budget PS2 release. I suppose the fact that all the backgrounds in the first game were pre-rendered in 480i disqualifies it from being released in HD. Space Channel 5 Part 2 is also a far better game than the original, but it’s still a bizarre choice for a collection that seemed like it was made to bank on Dreamcast nostalgia.

But alas, this is not a review of Sega’s handling of what could have been a great series of downloadable titles – this is a review of a classic rhythm game. Unlike the current wave of peripheral-based rhythm games, in which the goal is to make a small band into a very popular band, older titles of the genre always had a story to tell – though it was usually a completely messed up story.

The story of Space Channel 5 Part 2 features a futuristic news reporter who follows reports of bad guys who take innocent people hostage and force them to dance – which requires out-dancing the bad guys to save the hostages, who then show their appreciation by dancing in line behind her as she continues reporting; this is how you earn TV ratings in space. The game’s heroine, Ulala, does play a guitar and the drums as well, but only to demoralize rival reporters and to fend off the space police (yes, in the future, if you beat the police in a drum battle, they have to let you go – it’s the space law).

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December 23, 2010

Trailer Park – Sturmwind

Filed under: News Feed — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Jamie Love @ 7:54 pm

Sturmwind
Germany’s Redspotgames and Duranik kickoff the holidays like it’s 1999 with a trailer for their in-development Dreamcast shooter Sturmwind – which was earnestly on my wish list, so how about that.

Set to release next year, the game definitely has a Gradius vibe pulsing along with several other crazy influences. Add to that destructible environments as well as vertical and horizontal scrolling sections, and it all means that you’d better keep your GDROM drives in good working order a little bit longer.

Check it out below.

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June 10, 2010

Your Overdue Dreamcast Revival Confirmed

Filed under: News Feed — Tags: , , , — Jamie Love @ 12:24 pm

Dreamcast
Sega has just made the long running rumors and speculation official, the many gems of the Dreamcast library, that little wonder box that made all real gamers believe, are getting revived and coming to both XBLA and PSN this year. It may not surprise you that Sega is starting with Sonic Adventure and Crazy Taxi this Fall, both of which will be on the floor at E3 next week.

Sega says that the releases preserve the Dreamcast originals, while featuring enhanced visuals and surround sound as well as leader boards and Trophy / Achievement integration.

All of this pleases me even if the first two choices feel anti-climatic.

Dear Sega, make with the Jet Grind Radio and Space Channel 5 immediately – and maybe my list of a dozen Japanese imports while you’re at it.

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