Forbidden Forest is an action-horror game created by Paul Norman for Cosmi Corporation and released for the Commodore 64 and Atari 8-bit in 1983, and re-released for the PC in 2000. I think all versions bear mentioning, however for the scope of this review, I would like to focus solely on the C64 version, as this is the only version I've played. Not exactly a landmark title, but nonetheless, Forbidden Forest is a game of note, if not for its interesting gameplay, then for the excellent aural experience. While SID chip-flavored tunes on the C64 have always had a strong following (with good reason), the excellent music tracks for Forbidden Forest are an excellent early example of why they are popular. The game could have simply been titled, "Forest" and as long as this music played during the title, it would convey the same meaning: There are some bad things waiting for you in this forest.
At the inception of this article, I wasn't really sure exactly what to focus on. Would I do a top ten for the year? Would I do a top ten at all? What should I do it on? All of this was moot, considering that I wasn't confident that I could even name ten games off the top of my head that I played this year (not already covered in my blog). So with an empty head and a few ideas, I strove forward. I finally decided to touch on two articles that I never finished (but started out earlier this year), one article I wanted to write, but didn't quite get to, and three games that I remember playing that really spoke to me (that no one else covered).
*Note to future self: When doing a "Top of" list it is important to have a general idea of what games you played during said year. So in the future, it might be beneficial to actually keep up with the "Beaten Games" thread just in case I decide to do this again*
Once upon a time there lived an Aunt who was really cool. A Cool Aunt, one might say. The Cool Aunt lived in ideal circumstances, and was quite fond of video games. So much, in fact, that she would often indiscriminately purchase games based exclusively on the cover of the box. Needless to say, Cool Aunt ended up with a lot of duds, but being that she was a true fan of video games, she would often play them regardless of their dubious quality. Still, some were beyond reproach, and ended up being chucked into a paper box underneath her entertainment center along with leafed through gaming magazines, strategy guides, and other bits and bobs (at one point there was a boxed Timex Sinclair 2068). And there those goodies sat, waiting for some youth, desperate for entertainment, to play them.
What if I told you there was a game, released for Windows, Mac, and Linux, that mixed the rich story and character interaction found in an Ultima game with some of the action featured in Zelda: A Link to the Past? Would you bite at such an opportunity or would you balk? Should your curiosity pique at such a combination, let me introduce you to The Real Texas.
Sequels for horror movies rarely match the feel of the original. Sure, some of them are better, but are they as scary? I feel that in a attempt to recapture the feel (and audience) of the original film, most horror sequels are content with following the same basic formula of the original. So how do we get over such a thing? In the scope of this article, the answer is to create a movie sequel in the form of a video game. But does it work? Can the same kind of horror that stalks us on the silver screen translate to a completely different format, one that tends to rely on completely different ways to frighten the participant? The Thing attempts to incorporate the same survival aspects and monster design featured in parts of the film and couple it with squad-based shooter elements and team management into what is hoped to be a winning title. Did Computer Artworks succeed with such a lofty ambition or was this project doomed to failure from the onset? To find out, we'll have to fly south to see what has happened since the original film ended. Bring your coat, as I fear the cold can get overwhelming rather quickly.
**DISCLAIMER** - PICTURES AND VIDEOS BEYOND THIS BREAK CONTAIN VIOLENCE, BLOOD AND GORE, AND ADULT LANGUAGE THAT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AUDIENCES. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
[img align=left width=81 height=110]http://i1029.photobucket.com/albums/y359/necrom99/banana_zps34b800e7.jpeg[/img]Dear RFGeneration Members, as you might have noticed over the past few months, one of our long-time (since 2009) and active members on the site, bombatomba, has had a few of his most recent blog posts promoted to our front page. Our staff has enjoyed reading his work, has followed his blog closely, and used his posts to fill in dates at times when more content was needed. We are happy to announce that bombatomba has accepted our offer to join the blog writing staff and you will be seeing more of his work in the future. Please join our staff in congratulating him and welcoming him to the RFGeneration staff!
Three Dirty Dwarves is a side-scrolling, action game, somewhat in the vein of Golden Axe/Streets of Rage, that was released in 1996 for the Sega Saturn and PC. On the surface, it has lots of great animation, especially for the main characters, a goofy visual aesthetic, amusing sound effects, and co-op for up to three players. However, underneath beats the heart of an arcade game that never was. Be it good or bad, at the end of the day we are left with this somewhat amusing game that remains fun (with a group) yet is nonetheless flawed. So let's go ahead and roll in the dirt a bit and explore Three Dirty Dwarves for the Sega Saturn.
Enter 1990 (maybe early 1991). Hot from months of playing Final Fantasy (my introduction to the genre), I needed a new RPG to play, but I found my funds seriously lacking. So what do I turn to? The small wall of $20 games at the local game store. Of that lean selection of 15 or so games, there was one that caught my eye, with a description of "Action fantasy role playing" on the back of the box. With a joy that only children with extra funds can know, I bought Hydlide, unaware in the slightest the impact this game would have on my life as a gamer.
The MechAssault games released on the original Xbox represent one of the last pushes of the BattleTech franchise towards mainstream popularity. With all past successful games released on PC, it seems obvious that publisher Microsoft and developer Day 1 Studios (with some input by FASA Interactive) wanted a fresh reboot in the form of a new francise, one that would be playable only one Microsoft's new Xbox console system. But would this even be possible in a market that seemingly didn't give a rip about Western-style robot sims?
This year I was fortunate enough to receive a Nintendo Switch console before Father's Day from my wife and kids. It was a wonderful moment, especially considering I hadn't planned on purchasing one for another year (at least). Despite this, I still had a nice list of games to buy, with one in particular standing out as an early purchase due the nostalgia that bubbled up whenever I read an article about it.
On Father's Day, imagine my surprise when the gift bag I assumed would hold a t-shirt and some homemade cards (which it did) also contained that very game I was wanting, that being SNK 40th Anniversary Collection (SNK 40th) for my new Switch!
Following a successful Kickstarter Campaign in 2014, Lizard is the latest NES focused homebrew from developer Brad Smith, who previously released chiptunes cartridges Moon8 and 2A03 Puritans. Lizard forgoes powerups, lives, and timers and instead opts for an open world platforming adventure. It's an adventure four years in the making so let's put on our Lizard suit and take a look.
[img width=582 height=800]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/cisco678/space-fantasy-zone-box-art-japanese_zps4tkxuxck.jpg[/img] Image from www.gf-park.com
It seems Sega intended Fantasy Zone and Space Harrier to be interconnected, as both titles take place in the same universe ("the Fantasy Zone") and have crazy character designs. In 1991, NEC Avenue took the next step and combined both games into one Super CD game for the PC Engine CD/Turbo CD called, Space Fantasy Zone.
I've been a big fan of the Yakuza series since back in the Playstation 2 days. If you've never heard of them, the games put you mostly in the shoes of Kazuma "Kaz" Kiryu as he deals with the trials and tribulations of being a leader in the Tojo Clan of gangsters. Like the Persona series, Yakuza, while localized for American audiences, is baked in Japanese culture. The gameplay, contrary to popular belief is nothing like Grand Theft Auto but more like Shenmue only a thousand times more exciting and fluid. The series has spanned the Playstation 2 through the Playstation 4, and even has a few PSP titles that never made it out of Japan. I feel like I have to stress that for as much as I adore this series, it is certainly not for everyone. Only the first game has English voice acting so if you don't like reading subtitles, see you later! The brawler-style combat engine is not updated enough from game to game so many people have understandably criticized it for becoming stale. The graphics, while colorful and detailed, always feel a little bit dated. If you don't like long cutscenes you also might want to pass. They're not in the same league as the Metal Gear Solid series, but they're certainly in the realm of "put down your controller and watch for a while."
[img width=700 height=24]https://i.imgur.com/N418D7u.png[/img] This snapshot was taken on 24/05/2018
For years I have found myself moving away from the mainstream gaming press, and even reaching the point of outright ignoring it. I could not mention the last time I went to any of the mainstream gaming press sites just to browse and see what news is coming out. The only time I end up there is seemingly by accident, browsing a forum, board, or group dedicated to an individual game or series that then links to a news release pertaining to the topic. Upon reflection of my own browsing habits and years of history I found that this relative ignorance of what the mainstream gaming press is actually saying pre-dates plenty of the recent major controversies. I was already years deep into this willful ignorance when Gamer Gate started to blow up. The exact reasons I started these habits are long forgotten, but with some time passing and new developments of the day, as well as the effect it had on everybody's browsing habits, then there might be more reasons than ever to justify the abandonment of the mainstream critic.
