Note: I previously published this on GamePro.com, so some of the content may involve that site, and some of the old links may not work anymore.
Welcome the 2.5D!
Welcome to the First Issue of 2.5D a Blogzine devoted to the games of old and of new. My whole purpose in creating this blogzine is...well..Quite frankly, I'm too damn Lazy to ever see an actual fanzine through, and since the internet has pretty much killed the fanzine, I decided "What the hell, why not combine them both?"
In this blogzine I plan on covering 2.5D gaming. What's 2.5D gaming you ask? Well that's a good question. 2.5D usually describes a a game that has 3D ploygonal graphics, but scrolls from side to side like a 2D game.Since I plan on making this zine about games from the 2D era, and game from the 3D era, it just makes sense to make it 2.5D which is kinda the middle ground. That way I can cover all bases.
Where do I plan on taking this zine? Right now I'm really not sure. It's pretty much just me alone messing around right now, but if anyone else would like to contribute a review, a story, or an editorial, then I'd be all for it. I realize that most of you could just as easily just put that stuff in your own blogs, but I'd be honored if you'd choose to let me use it in my blogzine instead. You'll get full credit just make sure it's an original piece. I won't tolerate plagiarism!
Anyways that's about all I have to say about the blogzine, so get reading and I hope you enjoy_teh2Dgamer
PS. If it's too long then print the damn thing out and read it at your leisure.
PSS. My spelling and punctuation sucks, so please deal with it.
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The Gaming Slump.
Could it Happen to You?
It's been a number of years now, but it almost made me quit gaming. You see, a few years ago, I was struck by a strange gaming illness. Not a real physical illness, but I guess it was a virtual illness. I was struck with Getyourasskickedbyeverygameitis. The cause of this mysterious illness is still unclear to me.
As far as I know I went into every game just as I had always done, but this time it was different. This time I got destroyed by every game I played. When I say every game I mean it. Every game in every genre I played over this period of time (it lasted about a month) royaly kicked my ass. I'm not just talking about the new games that I was playing, I'm also talking about the I'd played so often that I could practically play them with my eyes closed. Being so frustrated with my new games at the time I decided to go back and play my old games to get my gaming confidence up, but to no avail. Even games I'd been playing since my childhood destroyed me.
It got to the point where I remember saying, "Ok, I'll play an RPG then. They're more laid back." You know that one devastating move they give to the weakest enemies in RPGs? You know, the one that's totally deadly, but there's a one in a million chance they'll use it let alone that it'll actually hit you. Well, lets just say, I haven't played Chrono Cross since.
So you might be wondering what to do if you ever contract the same disease, and for that I have no clear answer. Time is the cure that brought me out of my gaming slump. I pretty much stopped gaming for a while, and focused on other things. When I finally came back to gaming my skills had returned, and I couldn't have been happier._teh2Dgamer.
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10 Games in need of sequels:
Beyond Oasis/Legend of Oasis series- Sega needs to get off their ass and get us a sequel to these great playing Zelda clones that hit the Genesis (Beyond Oasis), and the Saturn (Legend of Oasis).
Fighter's Megamix- I've never played the original, but I've played both Virtua Fighter, and Fighting Vipers, so I know this Saturn game was a top notch fighter. Now in this world of game companies allowing their characters to be in other game company's fighting games (Capcom vs SNk, SSBB, and etc.), who wouldn't love to see Virtua Fighter vs Fighting Vipers vs Tekken vs Soul Calibur? That would truly be a megamix of fighters.
Jumping Flash- I really want a sequel to Sony's first person platformer shooter series who's first game hit before Mario 64. When I first played this game, it used to give me that rush in my gut that comes with falling because of the first person view, the fact that your character can jump super high in the air, and he looks down at his feet when he does it, and what comes up must come down. It was truly a rush, but I've grown immune to it's effects over the years of 3D gaming.
Bushido Blade- Kengo aside, I need my fill of one hit kills, and ambiguously gay characters. Plus I think it's rock online. Imagine 16 player duking it out online in an arena.
Strider- What ever happened to Capcom's ninja? The only hints we have of him as of late is the Marvel vs Capcom games, and in Strider 2 on the PS1. We need an update, but we already have too many Devil May Cry clones, so make it original, or just keep it 2D (A guy can dream can't he?).
Lufia- I know there have been some GBA verions in recent years, but Lufia 2 was one of the Snes' best RPGs (the first one was standard RPG fare). We need a real update. I know there was one being developed on the PS1, but I believe it got canned.
Actraiser- It's like a mix between a sim city, and an action adventure game. You build a world, and then you go into 2D side scrolling levels and defeat bosses. There were similar ideas in Dark Cloud for the PS2, but they weren't implemented that well.
Shogo- The first Shogo was an anime style first person shooter on the PC which not only allowed you to take out baddies on foot, but throughout the game you were allowed to jump in a giant anime style mech and take out giant baddies as well. It also had multiple branching story paths. It's truly an underrated gem for the PC. I'd love for Monolith to give us a sequel.
Star Tropics- Nintendo's own Zelda rip-off from the NES is long overdue for a sequel. I'd also put Kid Icarus on this list for NES games that need a sequel, but I've still yet to play that one.
Panzer Dragoon Saga- Yes another Sega game, but not just any Sega game. People are willing to shell out $200+ dollars for this Saturn game, and Sega really needs to give us a sequel (with the first one as an unlockable bonus no doubt). This game was an off-shoot RPG to the Panzer Dragoon series, and it's due for a sequel.
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Reviews
Note two of these reviews I submitted to gamepro under my Umaro name. I'll some original reviews in future issues.
Mega Man
(System: NES | Developed and published by: Capcom | Review by teh2Dgamer)
Ask any old school gamer what some of the greatest Nes games of all time were and they're bound to mention the original Mega Man. It's what every good side scrolling action game should be. There's plenty of running, jumping, climbing, and blasting hordes of enemies in store for those who wish to partake on Mega Man's quest to defeat the evil mad scientist Dr. Wily.
However, said mad scientist isn't going to make it easy for the Blue Bomber. In order to get to Wily, you'll have to defeat his six evil robots who each have their own challenging stages to play through first, but don't worry, Mega Man's got a few tricks up his sleeve (or in this case, Mega Buster) with which to defeat his foes. Whenever Mega Man defeats one of Wily's minions he then absorbs their powers, and can then use them on his enemies. One of the greatest aspects of each boss' power is that each boss power can be used to easily defeat another boss. For example, you use the power you get from Cut Man on Elec Man, Elec on Ice and so on. That's not all. If you manage to make it past those six challenging stages and the bosses inhabit them, you're treated to Dr. Wily's stage where you have to defeat them all again as well as a rock monster, a Mega Man clone, and Robotic bubbles before you even get to that freak Wily and his UFO.
Mega Man isn't for the faint of heart. It'll put even the most hardcore of gamers' skills to the test (Unless you're one of those people who've played it so much that you can beat it with your eyes closed that is). This game is tough and it's no help that there's no password system, so you have to beat it in one sitting(on the Nes version atleast). I guess it's a good thing the game controls like a dream (it's hard to mess that up with two buttons). The music is catchy too.
Bottom Line: If you don't have this game in one way shape or form from the original Nes version to the Anniversary Collection, then just slap yourself.
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Rival Schools
(System: PS1 | Developed and Published by: Capcom | Review by Umaro/teh2Dgamer)
Get your bats, your knives, and your Hadokens ready folks because high school students all across Japan are turning up missing and and it's up to you to find out why.
RS is essentially a 3D Street Fighter. You get to choose two fighters, but you can only change who you're playing with between rounds. Other than that the second character only comes in for team up attacks. Lightning fast special moves, air combos, tag team attacks, and spectacular super combos are abound in RS making the game extremely intense whether you're facing a human or cpu opponent alike. The responsive controls make every move a cinch to pull off as well. And while the graphics aren't that great (who plays PS1 for the graphics anyway), the game, for the most part, runs smooth. Even when the on screen action gets crazy slowdown is a rare site. Also, the game comes with two discs. The Arcade Disc contains a port of the original arcade game, and a story mode. The Evolution Disc has unlockable mini-games. MAKE SURE YOU GET THEM BOTH IF YOU BUY THE GAME USED.
Bottom Line: If you love Street Fighter than you owe it to yourself to pick this game up.
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Deus Ex
(System: PC | Developed by: Ion Storm | Published by: Eidios | Review by Umaro/teh2Dgamer)
With it's first person shooter gameplay, deep story, RPG style stat level ups, and it's open level design is it any wonder why people have a hard time classifying Deus Ex within the bounds of a genre.
Located in the near future you are JC Denton, a nano augmented agent of the United Nations Anti-Terrorist Coalition or UNATCO for short. You start out on JC's first mission which is to retrieve a hijacked shipment of ambrosia (the cure to the current deadly plague epidemic known as the "Gray Death") from the National Secessionist Force (NSF)who has barricaded themselves into what's left of the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island in NYC. From there the story proceeds to take you on a roller coaster ride of conspiracy theories, and secret societies which takes you around the world and back.
Deus Ex is a game of free choice. The levels are riddled with multiple and hidden paths and which one you take is completely up to you. Do you go in guns blazing against you enemies with lethal force, do you find an air duct and sneak around your enemies keeping your non lethal tranquilizer darts handy in case you're spotted, or do you hack a computer terminal and turn their own turret against them and walk over their corpses after it's finished disposing of them? Those are just a few examples of the kind of choices the games gives you. You'll never play through the game the same way twice. Whether it's your first time through or your fifth, you'll constantly be finding new routes and new ways to deal or avoid a problem with. You also have the choice to kill anyone you see, just be ready to deal with the consequences of your choices.
One of the most unique features that sets DX apart is it's completely customizable to your style of play via skills, nano augmentations and weapons modification. The game gives you skill points throughout the game for completing objectives or finding new areas with which you use to level up a variety of personal stats like lock picking, computer hacking, or even how long you can hold your breath under water. The Nano augs give you super human powers like super strength or life regeneration, and the weapons mods let you improve stuff like the accuracy, and reload times. If you want to pick a door lock while healing your wounds, and holding your silenced pistol with a sniper scope then go ahead.
Bottom line:Deus Ex is a perfect blend of FPS action, deep storyline, and RPG stat leveling that no one should do without. Go buy it, and go buy it now.
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Test your Gaming Knowledge
1. Which one of these games was not developed by Rare?
A. Pinbot
B. Captain Skyhawk
C. Donkey Kong
D. All of the above
2. In what game would you hear man being described as "A miserable little pile of secrets"?
A. Blood Omen
B. Final Fantasy VI
C. System Shock
D. Castlevania SOTN
3. Which company did Capcom sue for copyright infringement in 1994?
A. Sega
B. SNK
C. Data East
D. Midway
4. Which of these guys is described as a "Super Ultra Sexy Hero"?
A. Rising Zan
B. Gungrave
C. Kid Niki
D. Dynamite Headdy
5. Which of these wasn't a codename for the Dreamcast?
A. Katana
B. Neptune
C. Dural
D. Black Belt
6. Tokyo Highway Battle is to Tokyo Extreme Racer as Metropolis Street Racer is to _________
A. Forza
B. Burnout
C. Auto Modellista
D. Project Gotham Racing
7. What Japanese game company did the founding members of Treasure leave to form Treasure?
A. Konami
B. Capcom
C. Nintendo
D. Sega
8. The advertisement "John Romero's about to make you his b*tch" pertains to what game?
A. Quake
B. Blood 2
C. Daikatana
D. None of the above.
9. Which of these Sega systems had online gaming?
A. Genesis
B. Dreamcast
C. Saturn
D. All of the above
10. What was the name of the end boss in the game Sunset Riders?
A. Richard Rose
B. Dark Horse
C. Simon Greedwell
D. El Greco
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My Gaming Life
Lately my gaming habits have been kinda all over the place. I've been playing through Legend of Oasis on the Saturn. I've had it for a few years, but I've still yet to put the time required into it to beat it. What can I say? I've got too many games I guess so it's hard for me to concentrate on all of them. It's a pretty good game, but I think that I like Beyond Oasis a little better. I keep getting stuck in Legend, so i have to pull out the gamefaqs.
As far as my online gaming habits are concerned, I've been playing Team Fortress 2 online on the 360 as of late. My live subscription is about to end soon, but I'm not sure if I'll have the dough to renew it until after the holidays. Oh well I've still got my PC and my PS2 (yes that's right I said it PS2) to hold over any urges I get for the online bug.
I've also been dabbling in one of my most recent acquirements for the PS2, Yakuza. So far I really like it. I's like Shenmue, meets a beat 'em up, and meets a dating sim. I already got my guy laid. What can I say, I'm a master at taming those virtual chicks. I had to go hunt her out though. She decided to play hide and seek with me first. Anyways, Yakuza is a really cool game. i'd definitely recommend it to any of you out there who aren't afraid to play teh old PS2.
Another thing that's been keeping me busy is I've been posting gameplay videos of games on youtube. I'm not exactly the worlds best video maker, but I prefer to let the gameplay speak for itself. I hate to hell when people ruin the footage by putting their crappy music to the game, or when they talk all the way through it because they think they're cute and good at reviewing games. Yeah what the hell is up with all the people trying to be cool while reviewing games on youtube anyways? Most of the time they end up trying to promote themselves more than the damn game. Look guys I don't give a damn how cool you think you are, if you're not the Angry Videogame Nerd, who's actually entertaining, then but the hell out. You're not cool, you're just annoying so quit trying to be cool with your Sh*tty reviews! Anyways the point I was trying to make is that in making said gameplay videos, I've been forced to play a number of my old games again.
Well that's pretty much all I've been up to lately. The only extra thing I can think of is me playing through and beating Virtua Fighter Remix on the Saturn with my brother the other day. Damn I hate Akira and Lau._teh2Dgamer
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Underrated Gem of the Month
S.L.A.I. is an underrated gem
S.L.A.I. (Steel Lancer Arena International) (PS2)-
I've been playing the hell out of this game the last few days, and It's a really cool game. Think of a mixture of Armored core and Virtual On. It's got the in depth mech building of Armored core with a fighting engine similar to Virtual On, and it takes place in a simulated online world. It's battles are intense, it's soundtrack's pretty good, and the story mode is lengthy and in depth. It's only hiccups are it's really slow turning radius which can get you killed in the time it takes to turn around to look at an enemy and it may be too challenging for casual gamers. It did have an online mode, but Konami canned it. I got the game after the online was already dead, but it's still an awesome game without it. If you've got a PS2, then check this game out.
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The Final Word
Well that's it for this first issue of 2.5D. I hope those of you who are willing to read it despite it's length enjoyed it. I've still got more ideas yet to come. If any of you want to contribute, just PM me and I'll give you an email address that you can send your contributions to, or if you've got a well written user review that's already been posted on GP.com that you want me to use then I'm all for it. Anyways, don't take anything I say or do too seriously. Also if you want the answers to the quiz then I can PM them to you (for those of you who don't cheat with google). Well that's just about it. Have fun and keep gaming._teh2Dgamer
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