Gaming – Page 2 – Adam's Blog

December 13, 2017

Retro games pickup: Biohazard remake and 0

I posted a while back the exact same topic except that both of the games did not arrive. This time, I hope they do. Once again I ordered both of the Japanese versions of Resident Evil aka Biohazard for the GameCube. And even though I have both of the games in HD I still like getting the originals. Might play them on the Wii that’s hooked up to my 4k TV or on original hardware.

One thing that stands out in most Japanese games is the packaging and those games are no exception. Getting a free authentic memory card is a great extra. It may be strange to non-retro players on why I would play an inferior version but that’s not how I see it. I see a masterpiece that needs to be experienced on its original platform and yes, I completed the English versions long ago. Overall, I’m happy with my purchase and hope both games actually make it this time.

May 24, 2017May 24, 2017

Sonic Advance the best Sonic post Dreamcast

It’s no secret I used to be the biggest SEGA fanboy in existence religiously buying everything with the company’s logo without question and for a good reason. SEGA used to make kickass games across every genre under the sun.

Even after Dreamcast’s demised I supported the company on other platforms. For the most part, SEGA took advantage of the capabilities of each system and made each game special. For example, Sonic returned in its 2D glory on the Gameboy advance while Jet Set Radio made its way to the Xbox.

Things were going well until they weren’t. I’m not sure what happened but SEGA was no longer SEGA. The quality asked magic were gone due allot of staff being replaced with new guys. And while SEGA still made a few good Sonic games there majority were average at best.

Thankfully we still have the old retro gems like Sonic Advance series. But what makes the series so great? A few reasons that I will summarize below:

Amazing engine

Old school feel meets new school looks. That’s the fastest way to describe Sonic Advance. Everything looks retroish yet modern. From graphics to the way Sonic moves. Yes, the music is not comparable to the Mega Drive versions but is still good never the less. Sonic 4 episode 1 controlled like a flash game. Sure they fixed it in the next episode but it’s still nothing like Sonic Advance.

Made by Sonic Team originals

Now days almost everyone is replaced at SEGA. They old guys left and so did the look and feel of most games. And while Sonic Generations was a good Sonic came, the old SEGA feel wasn’t there.

The Golden Age of SEGA

SEGA, in my opinion, released some of the best games of all time after Dreamcast was discontinued. I was joyed to see the company I love taking advantage of each platform pushing their best ideas into a reality. Sonic Advance games were part of that special era.

At the end, I have nothing against the new teams at SEGA and wish them the best. What I want is old school quality style games. SEGA stated that they are planning a comeback and I can only hope that they indeed will.

April 7, 2017

Xbox Scorpio’s specs revealed . A true 4k Monster?

So the wait is finally over, Microsoft officially revealed Xbox Scorpio’s specs and they are impressive, BUT is it really a 4K unstoppable monster?

Everything from the CPU to Ram is a noticeable improvement over the PS4 Pro and defiantly a worthy upgrade from the Original Xbox One and the S model, although I expected the Ram to be pushed toward the 16 GB mark as its kinda standard with high-end games settings on the PC, never the less the on-board 12 GB is still better than 8, at least in theory.

So where exactly does the Xbox Scorpio shine?

For starters, most if not all of Microsoft’s first-party titles that are already out should run allot better on the Scorpio provided Microsoft is gonna update the games to do so. Looking better is another thing. Yes, Microsoft will update the resolution and what not but it takes time and work to adjust and update games assets which may result in compatibility issues.

Microsoft and most importantly 3rd parties will need to properly adjust their games to take advantage of the new hardware while maintaining compatibility with the base models. Games will not magically look and run better despite what fanboys would like you to believe, and some developers will take the easy way out either making the base version run like crap or vice versa. Optimization is the key here. Otherwise, will end up with bad ports aka PC Arkham Knight.

Another area where Scorpio will dominate is the multi platform games. Games that are released on both platforms will run better on Scorpio. So if Console power is your main priority (which it shouldn’t be) then Scorpio is the only way to go, at least for a while.

Now into the most hyped feature of the upcoming console. Both Microsoft and the fanboys claim that the Xbox Scorpio will deliver native 4k with 60 frames in most games which are both true and false. Yes, Microsoft teased Forza tech demo running at 60 frames in 4k but at what settings? What the fanboys fail to realize due to them simply not knowing any technical aspects of gaming is that almost any current Xbox One S or PS4 Pro game can be run at 4K 60 frames provided the graphical settings are lowered enough.

Sports games are easier to run when it comes to 60 frames. First party titles will also be highly optimized to take full advantage of the system but the majority of 3rd party heavy games will most likely not be running at 60 frames at high settings. I’m speaking from a realistic point of view. A lot of developers will not fully optimize their games due to laziness or technical difficulty.

The Xbox Scorpio is the next Generation console that is also backwards compatible with Xbox One and 360 despite Microsoft telling you otherwise. And with PS5 being in the shadows it remains to be seen how things turn out in the near future.

With everything aside, I’m excited to see what the Scorpio can offer in term of games and features despite me mostly gaming on the PC. I love the Xbox brand and wish it nothing but success.

I’m anticipating the price reveal as it’s critical that Microsoft doesn’t over price it for the average consumer rendering the machine useless to allot of budget gamers especially that the Switch is selling like hot cakes. Those were my honest thoughts on the console. Thank you for reading.

Note: This is a text version. For video version, check out my YouTube channel.

January 27, 2017

I had a dream…

I had a dream, a Resident Evil dream. That’s right folks, I was dreaming of playing the original GameCube BioHazard 0 version and by God, I will do it in real life. Better yet, I will record and upload the play through on my YouTube channel.

I’m not stranger to video games dreams although I don’t game as much as I used to due to work and life in general but my love and passion stay the same. For some reason this dream made me want to relive the memories again. I have previously played and completed my English versions so I placed an order for the Japanese editions which by the way look way cooler than the English covers.

I will most likely play them on Dolphin emulator as I heard nothing but good things about it even though I’m yet to install it. Never the less I’m excited to relive the experience as I haven’t touched GameCube games for some time.

I’m still deciding whether or not I should stream or simply record it so subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow me on twitter as I post my updates as soon as they go live. Take care for now.

November 7, 2016December 31, 2016

Recent eBay orders

So it’s been a few months as I took an unwanted break from blogging and writing as a whole. The reason, of course, is me being busy with YouTube as I fine tuned the channel’s intro and overall quality. Never the less, writing and blogging is something I always enjoyed since a young age and will continue to do so. I’m also deciding my next game to write a guide on at GameFAQs so that should keep me busy. Oh and I managed to clear some of my backlog games and on a strict mission to clear as much as possible before purchasing anything else.

Speaking about orders, let me share my recent purchases off eBay. I will be doing a video about what’s on my eBay watch list soon so make sure to subscribe to my channel to catch the video as soon as it goes live. So here goes:

Sonic Adventure International – SEGA Dreamcast

Sonic Adventure International is an updated version of the original game. Due to the limited test time, the Japanese versions ended up with a few bugs. SEGA later re-released an updated version titled International which has both Japanese and English voice acting as well as new cameras. Most of the bugs were fixed as well. Being a die hard retro SEGA fan, I was happy to grab this off eBay.

MZS Blue Pivot Brake Clutch Levers For Kawasaki KX250 2005-2008

Now I have no idea what this part does or how important it is as its this was never meant for me. A part of many I ordered for my brother’s bike. Not gonna lie though, it looks sick!

Sega Saturn Street Fighter collection trial version

I have always been fascinated with Demo and Trial versions. They are after all a dying breed. Physical Demos are a thing of the past. Street Fighter, Sega Saturn and Demo? A must have.

Classic Mario Amiibo

I always wanted a huge action figure collection to display on shelves. The problem is, most are overpriced. So I thought until Amiibos were released. This is the third one I ordered as its out of stock locally. Soon I will hopefully set them up to give the gaming office a brighter feel. Check out the pickup video I did:

Street Fighter 2 Movie – Sega Saturn

The most interesting item so far. This is supposed to be a Sega Saturn version of the Street Fighter 2 movie. The thing is, as shown on the back of the CD case; there is a gameplay image meaning there is more to do. I will test this out once I order the 1080p upscaler to properly play my retro games on my BenQ Monitor.

So there you have it folks. Those were my top 5 recent purchases even though I have tones more wichih I may do another post about. Hope you enjoyed reading this blog and I will catch you in my next article. Checkout my YouTube channel for more content as well as my Twitter and other social media.

May 5, 2016

Latest Pickups: Oddworld: Abe’s Exoddus

It’s been a while since I picked up PSOne games but this was something I wanted since the PSOne era itself; Oddworld: Abe’s Exoddus. Even though I own the Steam versions of the both Oddworld games, getting this gem on PSOne was necessary as I already have the first part. And even though I believe that 99% of games are superior on PC, this port was so amazing that I felt it deserved to be picked up.

No why is this game so special to me? Simply it’s that good. It is the combination of graphics design, sounds, and the overall feel that gives this game the creepy but addictive feel. Add in the fact that it controls great using the PSone controller. This is one of the great classics that you should own despite the fact that a remake of the first Oddworld game is available.

The New and Tasty remake is great and all but doesn’t compare in terms of design and feel to the originals. There is something special and nostalgic about them. The New and Tasty remake is great and all but doesn’t compare in terms of design and feel to the originals. There is something special and nostalgic about them. The classic Oddworld pack goes for $4.99 on Steam and $5.99 individually on GoG.com I highly recommend you to pick it up on PC as its cheap and easy to run.

February 27, 2016

Gears of War Ultimate Edition PC port specs are unacceptable

Before I start my rant, I was and still am among the ones that buy Microsoft products and will continue doping so in the near future. With that been said, Gears of War PC port’s leaked specs should not be near anything that we saw. I know these are the leaked version but something tells me the end result will look the same. Before going any further, let’s take a look at the current specs:

Recommended for 1920X1080P

OS: 64 bit Windows 10 – version 1511

Processor: Intel Core i5 @3.5GHz+ or AMD FX 8-core

Memory: 16 GB RAM (4 GB VRAM)

Graphics: GeForce GTX 970 or Radeon R9 290X

Hard Drive: 60 GB available space

DirectX 12

Recommended for 4K

OS: 64 bit Windows 10 – version 1511

Processor: Intel Core i7 @ 4Ghz or AMD FX 8-core

Memory: 16 GB RAM (6+ GB VRAM)

Graphics: Geforce GTX 980 Ti or Radeon R9 390X

Hard Drive: SSD + 60 GB available space

DirectX 12

Minimum Requirements

OS: 64 bit Windows 10 – version 1511

Processor: Intel Core i5 @ 2.7Ghz or AMD FX 6-core

Memory: 8 GB RAM (2 GB VRAM)

Graphics: Geforce GTX 650 Ti or Radeon R7 260x

Hard Drive: 60 GB available space

DirectX 12

Starting right off the bat, the game is Windows 10 only with Direct X 12 as the main reason forcing you to upgrade. This is no secret, Microsoft is doing everything they can to make people upgrade and it makes sense since Windows 10 is considered a service. Spying and disabling pirated software aside, Windows 10 is a good OS but greatly exaggerated. The Windows store is nothing to write home about and forces all apps to run with Vsync on and full screen which in turn affects people with Gsync monitors like myself.

Windows store is no Steam or even Origin so forcing players to use it while it’s still maturing is dumb considering Steam has the majority of PC gaming market share. I have a strong feeling this will end up Games for Windows 2.0. Forcing me to buy the game from Windows store is the first red flag.

Moving on to the CPU. I am no expert in the processors department but having an i5 is somehow reasonable although the clock speed of 3.5 is still higher than normal, at least, that’s how it looks to me.

Now comes the surprising part, 8 GB of Ram is the minimum amount required to run the game with 16 GB as recommended for both 1080p and 4K gaming? This is a Xbox 360 game running at higher resolution with a few tweaks here and there not to mention that it runs smoothly on Xbox One so why 16 GB?

I can understand the 4K requirement but even that is too much for an old 360 port. Smells bad optimization all over this.

Surprisingly enough, GTX 970 for recommended seems reasonable but again, this is just a remastered 360 game so yeah. Note that GB of VRAM is required but judging from previously released games, a normal 750 would handle the game on low just fine.

And lastly, 60 GB of hard disk space is kinda standard and with the game having 4K textures (I assume) its not so unusual to require.

. . .

In conclusion, requiring Windows 10 as well as 16 GB of Ram for recommended for a 360 remastered port is not acceptable. Forcing people to use your store (when it’s not ready and have problems) is not the smartest move. Not after Microsoft admitting that Games for Windows was a mistake and promised to treat PC gamers better as well as working with Valve. I will hold out till more information is available and the game hits the shelves on march.

February 15, 2016

Quantum Break PC version is Windows 10 store only!

In case you haven’t heard, the anticipated Xbox One exclusive Quantum Break is now coming to the PC. The bad news, it’s a Windows 10 store exclusive.

I don’t know how Microsoft works on the inside or who is running the show but I do know that releasing your first cross platform (game after admitting past mistakes and the promise of taking a better approach toward PC gamers) on only Windows 10 new store is how you piss people off. Look mate, I’m currently running a legit version of Windows 10 home edition so it’s not that I’m hating on the windows or anything, it’s just the untrusted Windows 10 store that I have a problem with!

Don’t blame me if I’m not a fan of buying things from an OS store especially after the Games for windows fail that I supported back in the day. With Stea it’s clear, you buy the game and can install it on as many PCs as you like and even have an offline mode. Windows 10 store, not so much. Not releasing your biggest game on the most popular distribution platform is basically making sure that the game won’t sell well.

But I know whats going on, it’s a sad trap to lure in user to upgrade and use Windows 10. About a good chunk of gamers are still on Windows 7 and for a good reason. Spying issues, the open door to disable and monitor what you do on your PC and the list goes on. Why do you think Microsoft is basically giving away Windows 10 for free to 7/8 owners?

Why do I care? I was planning to run this game on my newly ordered 980 GTX but seeing all this now I think I will be happier playing on my Xbox One. Who knows how long this great Windows 10 store is gonna last?!

Microsoft, if you want to capitalize on PC Gaming then stop playing tricks with us. PC gamers unlikely console folks will not accept bullshit just because the company said so. Look at Arkham Knight. I for one hope that Microsft realize the huge mistake before it’s too late and give us options. A physical version won’t hurt as well.

January 23, 2016May 30, 2021

Why Sonic Jam will always be the best retro Sonic port ever

What’s so special about Sonic Jam you ask? After all, we had over 10 ports of old school Sonic games on every platform imaginable. The difference my friends is that Sonic Jam was one of the first of what you now call Remasters.

Released on June 20, 1997, in Japan with two months gap between the western version, this gem was sadly underappreciated and went completely under the radar to this day. SEGA desperately needed a Sonic game on their new system and while that Sonic game wasn’t exactly what many have hoped for, we got a true remastered version of the first three games.

Graphics

You will notice right off the bat that the graphics are crystal clear with added effects in some areas. The resolution was also bumped upbringing the SEGA Mega Drive classic into a new era. Everything looked amazing and clear.

Once you start playing, you feel like an old school Sonic that we all love is reimagined for the 32-bit era. You just have to experience it to feel it. It’s like playing your favourite console game on PC with 60 FPS. Amazing feeling. Everything about this port looks cool.

Sadly from here on out, SEGA used the original mega drive (Genesis) version or even worse, used an emulator when porting the games. Yes the IOS version looks cool and whatnot but it’s nothing when compared with Sonic Jam’s version.

Sounds

Having the game on a compact disk, SEGA made sure to remaster the music making it CD quality. Every sound sounds amazing thanks to the quality update. Enemies and stage music alike got updated and fixed where needed eliminating any unnecessary noise. Yes, the music starts a little late on some stages due to the CD loading but that’s hardly noticeable.

What’s New

We finally made it to the best section of this post! For starters, the Sonic Dash was added to Sonic 1 and extra animations him leaving a trail behind when running. The clouds move as you scroll by as well.

For Sonic 2, 3 and Sonic and Knuckles many fixes were added making the gameplay smoother than ever. A new Easy and Hard modes were thrown in as well as an Original mode where you get to play the games on their classic difficulties.

And we have the 3D Sonic world. In this mode, you run around doing mini-missions, unlock art, videos and Music. All three original digital manuals are present in both Japanese and English. You can also uncover secrets as you explore this small but cool world.

In short, this was the perfectly remastered port. I just wished they would have ported this to the PC so we could easily enjoy this gem without getting a Saturn (for the average gamers).

The USA version is a little expensive on eBay so I suggest getting the Japanese version as its box is cooler but that’s just me and I own both. The bottom line, get this game if you want to experience the best version of the classic Sonics.

And playing with the Saturn controller is the Icing on the cake. 10/10.

January 13, 2016

Why you should get into PC gaming in 2016

Everyone and their mothers predicted the death of PC gaming the moment windows 95 was out to the public followed by the PS1 and Nintendo 64. Then came the PS2 era and everyone claimed that PC gaming is done. Fast forward five years later and Xbox 360 and PS3 were available to purchase. This time PC gaming had what’s coming for it for sure. Strangely enough, it’s 2016 as well as the second year for Xbox One and PS4 and yet PC gaming is still here, stronger than ever. What’s going on folks?

Reason #1

It is no longer a niche platform! When you thought of PC gaming in the 90s, first person shooters, real time strategy and online RPGs were the first things that came up. Not anymore. PC gaming today host all kind of different styles and games. From Mortal Kombat X to Resident Evil saga. The gap between PC gaming and consoles in terms of an available type of games is now closed. No longer is the PC a master of a few type of games. You can find anything made in recent days on the PC which brings us to reason number 2.

Reason #2

Less reasons to own a console. Owning a console back in the PS1 era was a must. Where else would you have found gems like Crash, Grand Turismo and Castlevania Symphony of the Night? Sure, many games got ported to PC such as croc and final fantasy as well as Mortal Kombat Trilogy but the majority of home versions such as Xmen vs Street Fighter were only available on consoles. New days, everything comes to PC as more and more developers started coming out realizing you can make a profit selling games on PC and even start developing on it when you’re new.

Not to mention you can use any kind of controller o the PC as well as the mouse and keyboard. I personally prefer to use the Xbox 360 pad but you can use PS4 one if you like. The choice is unlimited. So what was the reason to own a console again? The exclusives you say? Well, I hate to break it to you but console exclusives are dying faster than college girls morality. Sorry, but as a consoles owner myself, I hardly touch them due to no real exclusive games to play apart from a very selected few which are great games, just not many.

Reason #3

PC versions are mostly better. If you still don’t know why PC versions are better then you need to come out of the rock your living under and do some research. PC version gives you control on how your game looks and feel. Want the sharpest, best image setting possible? No problem. I used to care about graphics setting everything on high and ultra until I got to play a game in the glorious 60 frames per second. Now I tend to set my settings on med-high as long as the frames are above 50. It’s just better.

Moving on to another important factor which is the price, you can get good deals online almost daily. I managed to get Batman Arkham Origins for about $20 day one. Beat that. Plus Steam sales as well as Origins and GOG.com are hard to ignore. Plus you get to play old retro games on your current PC with the little help of tweaks and add-ons as well as an awesome community. Playing your favorite game which you got cheap on the highest smoothest settings using your favorite controller, whats not to like?

And let’s not forget about the modding community. Google Fake Factory Half-Life 2 mod and prepare to be convinced. Adding free stuff to a game you already own for free is something console developers hate because they get to release the same stuff as a paid product. Paying for gun skins? Aint nobody got time for that!

Image Credit: http://xmastergeorgechiefx.deviantart.com/art/Ada-Wong-Extra-Costume-for-Remaster-HD-510645663

Reason #4

Many options. Want your games digital with fast delivery and best prices? Go with Steam. Want DRM free version? Go with GOG.com. Want physical copies? No problem. Changing the hardware is also cheaper than you might think. My brother got a used GTX 650 and is playing everything on high with no problem. My GTX 750 is rocking, even more, frame rates and that’s dirt cheap. All you need is a cheap graphics card and some ram. Almost any PC can run PC games provided you set the right settings. Stuck on something? Google or Youtube it and your done.

. . . . .

Yes, consoles are still popular and are not going away anytime soon. The exclusive games are mostly worth it and if all your friends game on consoles then its the only way to go. Gone are the days though when you can just put the cd in and start the game. The new era of consoles brought new problems like hard disk space and long updates and installations making it no different than your average PC game.

Yes, console gaming is still relevant and the only way to go for many gamers but if you’re serious about your hobby or want to save money in a long run then, at least, consider PC gaming. Trust me, there are hundreds of amazing games you never heard of due to lack of advertising and most of your favorite console franchise started out on PC like Call of duty.