Gaming off the Beaten Path

Last week I discussed my initial thoughts on Phantasy Star IV, a JRPG for the Sega Genesis.  As you could probably tell, I liked it quite a bit and was impressed by what it accomplished technically.  That’s great, but what was it that made the game truly stand out. First, we need to start with the story.  It starts out as fairly simple RPG fare.  You play as Chaz, a young hunter’s guild member on the planet of Motavia.  Once a lush, green world, Motavia has become a mostly barren desert planet full of monsters.  That’s bad news for most civilians, but it also means plenty of work for Chaz and his mentor Alys, a hunter so respected that she has been assigned a critical mission offered by the Motavian University.  That mission sets the pair on a path that will reveal the origin of the monsters, the reason for Motavia’s decline and the true level of danger the galaxy will soon face.     I think the best part of the story is how well it raises the stakes.  Earl

As I have mentioned numerous times, I grew up a Nintendo/Sony kid.  Most of my experience with Sega/Microsoft/Etc. Consoles came from playing at relatives’ houses, so my experience with them was very, very different. You see, I mostly stuck with those consoles because of their deep RPG libraries.  Up until I was older, I probably couldn’t have named a single RPG for the Sega Genesis.  Add in the fact that most of my time with those consoles were spent on more action oriented, quick playthrough games or multiplayer titles and you can understand why I lacked frame of reference with these games. The first I had ever really heard of Phantasy Star was via Phantasy Star Online for the Sega Dreamcast, a game that was probably too far ahead of its time for its own good.  It wasn’t until later that I found out there was an entire series of these games, that were traditional JRPGs dating back to the Sega Master System.  It wasn’t until even later I was able to get my h

I figured I would start the 10s list with the game that will be least interesting to talk about.  A little clarification here, whenever I talk about sports games, I always group them together by generation rather than year.  I think all of the Madden games from this era are great, these particular three just did the littlest of little things better than the others.  These games need to be looked at almost more like expansions than sequels. Unlike a lot of games I have talked about so far, there is absolutely no doubt the Madden Football franchise is a household name.  It’s one of those series’ that most non-gamers have heard of and a favorite of casuals everywhere.  Of course, it also has a massive competitive circuit that was one of the first true E-Sports leagues to garner attention.  It can trace its roots all the way back to the 90s on the 4th gen consoles and its still a massive cash cow for EA today.  Thanks to some shenanigans in the mid-00s, the gaming giant

So I figured I would start with one of the PS Plus games of the month for my first Gaming on a Budget column.  I mean, what’s cheaper than free!  Well, technically you pay for the service, but whatever.   Anyway, I always get excited to see which games will be available for download when the end of the month draws near.  Will it be a big time, A-list title?  An obscure hidden gem?  Who knows.  I have to say that for the most part, Sony does a good job.  Hell, in January we got the first three Uncharted games!  Those were all A-list titles and are important parts of Sony’s catalog.  Personally, I don’t love them, but they are good, solid, 8.5/10 games and if you haven’t played them, the price is right.  But everyone already knows about Uncharted, so I am going to focus on the OTHER game this month.   Which is...Goat Simulator?  I remember hearing about it when it was launched, but I thought it was something out of an Onion article and not an actual game.  Yet

Happy 2020 everyone!  I figured I would kick the year off with a game that has nothing to do with 2020 in any way, shape or form. I have to say, I had no idea this game existed.  I knew Battle Arena Toshinden got a sequel, but I didn’t realize it had two (actually three, the fourth game only came out in Japan and PAL regions).  The series is certainly obscure, it hasn’t had a new release in North America since 1997.  That being said, it’s a series that holds special place in PlayStation and general fighting game lore.  It was a PS1 launch title and the focus of many of Sony’s early ad campaigns.  It was also one of the first truly 3D fighting games and the first to have a sidestep button.  It may not have been the best game ever made, but it was an important one.  When you think about it, it actually makes sense that this game would get a sequel.  A forward thinking, borderline revolutionary game with some flaws seems like the perfect candidate.  The controls

So, sorry for no game review again, but I am going to lay out some of the changes I am going to make for 2020.  Moderately obscure games are still going to be my focus, but there are a few other gaming related subjects I am going to bring in. Think of each one like a different column.  My goal is going to be one of each per month, but that may not be 100 percent what happens.  I also want to try and incorporate some more podcast style audio and video.  I may even change the name, although I haven’t decided yet. So, anyway, back to the content.  As I mentioned, I’m going to keep going off the beaten path, but I also want to focus on; Gaming on a budget:  We all know gaming is an expensive hobby, but it doesn’t have to be.  There are so many free and cheap games out there that its hard to sort through them.  I am going to talk about games that are free or almost free and whether or not they are worth your time.  I will focus a lot on games that are avail