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[img width=494 height=262]https://i.imgur.com/liixBFt.jpg[/img]
It's June 2020, and with another month of being primarily homebound due to COVID-19, I was able to catch up on a few more films. Here some reviews for a handful of them:
Reptillian - As I settled in for this viewing, I did not realize I was about to see one of the most infamous kaiju films of all time. Reptillian is an English language Korean reboot of the Yongary series created in response to the 1998 American Godzilla film. The acting is so bad it falls into that uncanny valley territory that feels like a bad dream. The CGI is terrible. This movie unfortunately is not even so bad it's good. Avoid at all costs.
Continue reading Quarantine Cinema 2
[img width=700 height=394]https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/darksouls/images/e/ee/Bonfire_III.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/1000?cb=20170317215005[/img]
"Welcome to the bonfire, Unkindled One. I am a Fire Keeper. I tend to the flame, and tend to thee. The Lords have left their thrones, and must be deliver'd to them. To this end, I am at thy side."
I have a friend I'll call "James". James is a fire keeper, though his own flame is fading. He is a real person, and this account is factual except the name for the sake of his privacy. James is an older gentleman who lives by himself out in the country, only a few miles from our house. He lives a mostly solitary life, a literal hermit in the woods. He has lived this way for many years, most recently in a home-made yurt.
Continue reading Thoughts On Perspective
Playas Guide is back with an all new episode covering quick play games for retro gamers
https://youtu.be/QpArrz5_NL8
[img width=583 height=639]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49960445063_7af92045ee_z.jpg[/img]
After 51 Episodes we finally entrust Bil to lead an episode!! He walks us through some of the best soundtracks in gaming with a strong focus on the modern era. Also the premier of our shiny new theme song written and performed by RF Generation's own The Disposed Hero!
Links to all of our recommendations below the break!!
Get the show at http://www.collectorcast.com
Follow the Collectorcast on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/Collectorcast
Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Collectorcast
Stitcher:
https://www.stitcher.com/...?fid=25284&refid=stpr
Apple Podcasts: http://itunes.apple.com/u...collectorcast/id524246060
Google Play:
https://play.google.com/m..._Generation_Collectorcast
iHeartRadio:
https://www.iheart.com/po...ion-Collectorcas-30981252
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/...ow/6VP51savAVFpTsDo9MdvLb
On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/Collectorcast
Continue reading Collectorcast 52: We Rock and Roll All Night Long, Sweet Suzy
[img width=540 height=540]http://rfgeneration.com/podcasts/shmupclub/images/2020-06-13_stcc_ep_024_fantasy_zone.jpg[/img]
In Episode 024, MetalFRO and Addicted look at one of Sega's more unconventional arcade hits, the interminably cute Fantasy Zone. What makes this classic tick, and how does it relate to Konami's arcade shooter smash, Gradius? We discuss that and more!
You can download the episode directly, or stream it on the website, right here:
http://rfgeneration.com/podcasts/shmupclub/?name=2020-06-13_stcc_ep_024_fantasy_zone.mp3
Check us out and subscribe (and rate!) on Apple Podcasts!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/shoot-the-core-cast/id1432819542?mt=2
We're listed on Google Play - subscribe and review the podcast over there!
https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Iih3vrijcro4yno3yrkeawnx6nu
We're on Stitcher Podcasts now, as well, so if you use that service, have a listen to the show from there!
https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/shoot-the-corecast
We also have a presence on SoundCloud now, though it's just the most current episode at this time:
https://soundcloud.com/user-992886896/
We have t-shirts! Help support the podcast, and rep the shmup community by buying a Shoot the Core-cast tee - now with Gaiden design!
https://www.redbubble.com/people/jdieckmann/works/34582606-shoot-the-core-cast-podcast?asc=u&p=t-shirt
Check the original thread, to see the discussion and high scores:
http://www.rfgeneration.com/forum/index.php?topic=19313.0
Thank you for listening!
[img width=480 height=520]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/Game-Boy-FL.jpg/800px-Game-Boy-FL.jpg[/img]
While not the first portable gaming systems, Nintendo's Game Boy was one of the first to reach massive audiences. It's library consists of hundreds of games, many of which are quick, simplistic but fun experiences designed both around the system's limitations and its purpose of gaming on the go.
So it's interesting that for this Top 20, there were several games that came in as "must owns" as out of 7 voters, four games made every voter's list, and eight made at least five lists.
And yet, the final results also showed the variety of the Game Boy, as only 14 games were on three or more lists.
Continue reading RFGen Top 20 Games- Game Boy Edition
[img width=402 height=500]https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zZndTU2hivI/VK_zx1NrcRI/AAAAAAAAEww/Fowry3QyM44/s1600/SmashTV-PrintAd.jpg[/img]
During the 80's and early 90's, kids like myself were treated to a large number of ports of popular (and not so popular) arcade games to home consoles. Who wouldn't want to play their favorite arcade game at home on their own TV, rather than having to go drop quarters into the arcade cabinet? And what happens when that arcade game at the bowling alley or gas station got replaced with something else? Sure, there was a new period of discovery, and perhaps you'll find a new favorite, but you still like that previous game enough to want to keep playing it. Enter the home conversion. According to the advertising, you could have the fun of the arcade game in the comfort of your own home! The reality, however, is that it didn't always work out like that.
Continue reading Nostalgia Goggles - Arcade Ports and Rose-Tinted Glasses
I got a request to make a custom Mortal Kombat themed NES system. Although the game never officially came out on the NES, there is a ROM of it. I mean, it did come out on the Game Boy, so why not on the NES?
I think this one came together nicely and it was a lot of making it, especially sculpting the Mortal Kombat dragon.
[img width=612 height=612]https://i.imgur.com/rkFFiSJ.jpg[/img]
I apologize up front to those who come to this site for an escape, but the coincidental timing of my piece this month leaves me in an incredibly difficult position. You see, I wracked my brain the last few days trying to think of a subject, but as I sit here at my computer on Monday evening, none of the topics I came up with feel appropriate. I won't comment here on my thoughts about the past week's worth of news, and I genuinely feel bad about even bringing it up in these digital pages, but with recent headlines so raw in my mind, I've discovered I'm literally incapable of writing an article that suggests I'm oblivious to them. Eventually, one of the podcasts I watch gave me an idea, and I decided that if I couldn't force myself to write as if current events haven't deeply affected my headspace, maybe I could use the opportunity to remember the things about this hobby that has brought people together.
Continue reading What Do You Write When Gaming Isn't On Your Mind?
[img width=583 height=639]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49960445063_7af92045ee_z.jpg[/img]
Nearly half a year later we are finally back! Since everything else is getting a remaster now, why not our show? Check out the new and hopefully improved show. We've got a new vision for the show and renewed passion to keep it going and evolve it into something special. Please enjoy!
Get the show at http://www.collectorcast.com
Follow the Collectorcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Collectorcast
Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Collectorcast
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=25284&refid=stpr
Apple Podcasts: http://itunes.apple.com/u...collectorcast/id524246060
Google Play: https://play.google.com/m..._Generation_Collectorcast
iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/po...ion-Collectorcas-30981252
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/...ow/6VP51savAVFpTsDo9MdvLb
On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/Collectorcast
[img width=400 height=490]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/games/U-005/bf/U-005-S-02090-A.jpg[/img]
I have always referred to H.E.R.O. as my favorite Atari 2600 game. It's a game I had as a child and have often hailed its theme and gameplay as masterful. But one little thing had always bothered me about H.E.R.O. - I had never beaten it! Going back and finally mastering games I played as a kid has become quite the adventure for me. There's something dramatically satisfying about combining the nostalgia driven experience of replaying a game from childhood with the brand new experience of finally beating it. It's like creating a portal between two worlds; like somehow magically connecting my past with the present. And it's a really special thing when there happens to be a game that you tout as your favorite, but still haven't completed yet. The list of games that fall into this category is obviously finite, and I cherish the opportunities that I have to venture into that realm and overcome a challenge that has eluded me for decades. In fact, I cherish them so much that I like to document them. Here is my three part video series where I put on my laser helmet, strap on my Prop-Pack, and attempt to finally save all of the trapped miners in my favorite Atari game of all time.
Continue reading H.E.R.O. A Whirl to Win
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Posted on May 28th 2020 at 12:00:00 PM by ( MetalFRO) Posted under Steel Vampire, Shoot the Corecast, podcast, Shmup Club, Akiragoya, Henteko Doujin, STG, shooting game, shooter, shoot em up, tube shoot |
[img width=500 height=503]http://rfgeneration.com/podcasts/shmupclub/images/2020-05-18_stcc_ep_023_steel_v_ire.jpg[/img]
In Episode 023, Addicted and MetalFRO explore the Western release of a game from prolific Japanese doujin developer Akiragoya. Steel Vampire, known originally in Japan as Metal Mosquito, is a unique shooter that does its own thing, while bringing in familiar elements from other games in the genre. But is that mix enough to warrant giving this game a serious look? Have a listen, and find out!
You can download the episode directly, or stream it on the website, right here:
http://rfgeneration.com/podcasts/shmupclub/?name=2020-05-18_stcc_ep_023_steel_v_ire.mp3
Check us out and subscribe (and rate!) on Apple Podcasts!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/shoot-the-core-cast/id1432819542?mt=2
We're listed on Google Play - subscribe and review the podcast over there!
https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Iih3vrijcro4yno3yrkeawnx6nu
We're on Stitcher Podcasts now, as well, so if you use that service, have a listen to the show from there!
https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/shoot-the-corecast
We also have a presence on SoundCloud now, though it's just the most current episode at this time:
https://soundcloud.com/user-992886896/
We have t-shirts! Help support the podcast, and rep the shmup community by buying a Shoot the Core-cast tee - now with Gaiden design!
https://www.redbubble.com/people/jdieckmann/works/34582606-shoot-the-core-cast-podcast?asc=u&p=t-shirt
Check the original thread, to see the discussion and high scores:
http://www.rfgeneration.com/forum/index.php?topic=19284.0
Thank you for listening!
[img width=627 height=550]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/games/U-061/bf/U-061-S-13810-A.jpg[/img]
One aspect of criticizing artistic forms of media that is frequently brought up is the idea of recency bias. The main problem with recency bias is that when a work is new, the fresh coat of paint can sometimes successfully hide the pocks of rust hidden by the frame. This idea is true for all forms of media, books, movies, shows, and perhaps it's strongest for video games. Games are heavily reliant on the technology of the era, and as that technology advances, the inherent weaknesses of previous works comes to light even more powerfully than before. In other cases, it's simply a question of project scope.
Xenogears was once touted as one of the greatest Japanese role playing games ever created, but over time, that opinion has softened and any discussion about it inevitably leads to the game's biggest flaws. Pinpointing the source of this slowly decreasing opinion of this once highly touted classic relies on knowing what the game's major flaws truly are, an understanding of everything that happened during and after its development, and speculation on how the gaming public itself has shifted. Xenogears is over 20 years old by this point, having released on the first Playstation all the way back in 1998, so there has been plenty of time for reflection.
Continue reading Xenogears: A Tale of Two Discs
[img width=700 height=393]https://i.imgur.com/rKz7x4j.jpg[/img]
After hearing much praise for Ori and the Blind Forest over the last few years, it has been on my radar as a game that I should eventually play. Knowing that a sequel was releasing soon and would be freely available to anyone with Xbox Game Pass, I felt like the time was right to finally dive in. After finishing the game, I came away with mixed feelings and had lost interest in playing the sequel. However, after seeing some gameplay for Ori and the Will of the Wisps, I was intrigued to check out the sequel and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
Continue reading Ori and the Will of the Wisps
[img width=700 height=393]https://i.imgur.com/WfqFlsa.jpg[/img]
I'm fortunate enough to still be at work, but my movie viewing has still had a major uptick since quarantine started. Here are few of the films I've seen with my wife in the past two months or so.
Westworld and Futureworld - I haven't read the novel or seen the recent tv show, but I quite enjoyed this duology from the 1970s, which centers on amusement parks for rich adults where robots play npcs in real life. Both of these films hold up quite well and to this day are recommended by many as sci-fi classics.
Pacific Rim - Yes, I'm a massive Kaiju fan, but I couldn't care less for American Kaiju productions in general. It was my wife who convinced me to watch this movie and I thought it was pretty darned good. Pacific Rim succeeds where the American Godzilla film from 2014 failed: it leans into the action and doesn't hide its main attraction, the monsters and mechs. I wish I had watched this movie sooner. It's the best western interpretation of a giant monster movie that I have ever seen.
Continue reading Quarantine Cinema
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We are a community of collectors, gamers and the likes, and some of us enjoy to let the world know what is on our mind. For those members, we have the community blogs, a place where they can publish their thoughts and feelings regarding life, universe, and everything. Some of those members might even choose to write about gaming and collecting! Whatever they write about, you can find it on their blog. You can either see the latest community blog entries in the feed you see to the left, or you can browse for your favorite blog using the menu above. Interested in having your own blog hosted on RF Generation? It's rather simple, first be a registered member, and then click the "My Blog" link that you see in the navigation above. Following those two steps will certainly get you on your way to blogging.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy our entries, rantings, and completely unrelated series of thoughts. We write for you to read, so we certainly hope that you enjoy our material.
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