It recently dawned on me that I've been writing for RFGen for just over a year now and had yet to write an actual review for the site. I'm not sure why that is; I've written plenty of reviews in my day, and not just for games. So, it's with that in mind that I decided to promote one of my favorite PS3-exclusive games from 2013 that no one played.
Every once in awhile a game comes along that, while under the radar, is so creative, unique, well-crafted, and downright fun that you want to shout from the heavens to anyone who will listen that they should play it. Puppeteer is one such game. Released in the wake of Grand Theft Auto V and Saints Row IV, it's really no surprise it didn't get much attention. Looking back at SCE Japan Studio's history though, you'll find a slew of titles that could be considered quirky and underappreciated, but revered by those who gave them a shot. I'm talking games like Ape Escape, Work Time Fun, LocoRoco, Patapon, Echochrome, and Gravity Rush.
If you missed out in June, I was one of many who joined the Playcast gang in enjoying the great last gen action game Enslaved. Most of the discussion, as it should be, was focused on the game itself. The characters, the design, the variety of experiences, the ending, the gameplay, etc. But there was a small side discussion that I found quite interesting and as I've played a few games since then has peaked my interest further. Should technical issues hurt your gaming experience?
Today is the last day of our annual PAIN YOURSELF WITH SUBMISSIONS CONTEST. All submissions entered will be valid until 12:00 AM server time tonight, so be sure to get those final submissions in before it's too late. Looks to be a tight race at the moment, so today's additions could make or break your taking of the lead or protecting it!
The member with the most points earned during the month will be crowned the winner and receive a $60 gaming shopping spree and a RF Generation ringer t-shirt. Our winner will be announced in our upcoming site news, so keep your eyes peeled and put it on Channel 3!
**A reminder of the contest rules are list below**
Welcome to the third edition our game room series where we take a look at some of our site members gaming spaces! This month we are featuring site member, zophar53, one of our newest contributors to the front page and from what I understand, an attendee of this years Retro World Expo. Join us as we explore this member's gaming space and learn more about how and what he collects, and how he makes his space work for his gaming needs.
**If you are a member and have a game room or gaming area that you would like to share, please send a PM to singlebanana and I will add you to our list.**
Kuon is sort of a notorious game for gamers and collectors. Known as one of the rarest and most valuable games on the PS2, finding a copy of the game for a reasonable price is easier said than done. I was lucky enough to snag a copy a few years ago for a great price, but for most people, owning a copy of this elusive title means shelling out big bucks. As I'm sure we have all experienced, a game's value on the secondary market usually isn't a reflection of how good that game actually is, and Kuon is really no exception. In fact, prior to actually playing the game, I had heard from a few sources that Kuon was not a good game at all, as opinions typically ranged from mixed to negative. After hearing so much negative criticism about the game, I finally decided to play it for myself, and I can honestly say that I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
Since the beginning of role playing games, many details have been taken into account by everyone from the top tier game designers down to the dungeon or game master building their first campaign. However, few details are thought about as much as the design of the world the players inhabit. For most gamers, it is nothing more than passing scenery made to make you stop and enjoy the beauty before you move two steps forward and completely forget about it.
In modern video gaming, there are a few different kinds of world designs at play. Most Japanese developed RPGs, from the beginning to this day, are the world spanning epics. No stone is left unturned on these worlds as many are developed without the idea of direct sequels in mind. The juggernauts of Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest almost always take place in a completely new world with linearity in mind. Dragon Quest I and II are notable exceptions to this, where the world of the first game is revealed to be just one small part of the full world that is revealed to the player in Dragon Quest II. This is the idea that Suikoden takes, as it will likely never will reveal the full world in one game.
We all have that one friend who likes to talk about hypothetical situations while the gang is hanging around, and inevitably they bring up the "What 5 things do you take with you if you were gonna be stranded on a deserted island?". My group, being generally nerdier than most but probably similar to yours if you are reading this, decided to discuss the 5 video games you'd bring if you were stuck and, with it being an interesting thought experiment, I thought I'd share my answers with you.
I've been a casual fan of the modern variations of the LEGO games since the first LEGO Star Wars game. I love playing them with my wife and the easy, low-stakes gameplay makes for a balanced experience for players of differing skill levels. Last year I played LEGO Batman 2 on the Nintendo DS and I thought it was a fine hand-held counterpart to the console version of the game. I knew then that LEGO games on hand-helds had the potential to be great, and was looking forward to trying another one in the future. I recently played through another LEGO title on a more advanced piece of hardware. How did it stack up?
Oh Summer, you fickle maiden, how our relationship has changed. Once upon a time, we cavorted through the woods and meadows, looking for empty cans and bottles so we could thumb a few extra quarters into the Contra machine, or maybe rent an NES game again (for $3 a day). Now, I either pray for rain (figuratively speaking) so I can do work inside the house, or fix/trim/dig/clean things outside my house, while trying to keep one eye on my kids. Still, this is a big time of year for nostalgia, so I might as well pick up a summer-themed game. What do you all think? No? Really? Uh, okay. How about we meet halfway in between, then?
Continuing the grand tradition of pointing out nifty games that can fall under the radar, here's an update of some great and/or lesser-known games I've been playing while my Beloved and our oldest are outside causing traffic to swerve with Pokemon Go.
Join RF Generation Playcast hosts, Rich (singlebanana) and Shawn (GrayGhost81), as the "Dynamic Duo" (R.I.P. Adam West) discuss one of Ninja Theory's early, third-person, action/adventure titles, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. This month's Playcast flashes forward (...errr we kinda hope not) into dystopian America where humans are being "enslaved" by a mysterious source and our world has been taken over by blood-thirsty robots. Yeeeeeesh! In this episode, we talk about the gameplay mechanics, some "despicable" and yummy characters, the game's soundtrack, and pose our thoughts on Enslaved's ending. Did this game's sometimes glitchy tendencies muck up what could have been a great title? Did Rich's modern game skill shortcomings prevent him from finishing the game? And how does Shawn reeeeeeeeeally feel about "Hidden Gems?" The answers to these questions and many more in this month's episode of the RF Generation Playcast!
As always, we are happy to hear your thoughts on this game on our discussion page (linked below). We will respond to your comments and are always happy to discuss the game more. We hope you enjoy our show. Please be sure to rate and write a review of the show on iTunes to help us increase our listenership. Thanks for the listen!
Quest for Glory is a hybrid adventure-RPG series from Sierra. In the first entry in the series, you find yourself in the Valley of Spielburg. The land has been cursed by an Ogress, the Baron's children are missing, and a band of Brigands terrorize the town. Can you solve all of these problems and become a hero?
We interrupt your regularly scheduled program to bring you this month's edition of RF Generation's Site News! In this issue, we announce a very special August community playthrough game and event (....we're not alone), remind you about our ongoing annual Pain Yourself With Submissions contest, and of course, thank those members who sent in submissions to our site and registered approvals during the month of June. Once again, we will be implementing a new submission "focus" for this month, so stay tuned to the end of our broadcast to find out what it is. Thanks for tuning in!
REMEMBER: If you have any news about upcoming events or topics that you think the site needs to hear about, please PM singlebanana and put "RFG Site News" in the subject line. Who knows, maybe your news will make our front page!
[img width=320 height=318]https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KRjQ_J6QrBI/WK-pCOqBpCI/AAAAAAAAArI/5iKt_QJ-HQk1sh4Pkf7QLcxd_AnYYr4-gCLcB/s320/Jordan%2Bvs%2BBird%2BOne%2BOn%2BOne%2Bbox.jpg[/img] Box art scan shamelessly stolen from GameFAQS. Larry and Michael better watch out, lest they fall into the red abyss below!
I've mentioned before in other reviews, but I'm not really a sports fan. I don't hate sports, but I'm just not invested in them. I fancied myself more of a sports nut when I was a kid, and even had a few favorite athletes, including one basketball legend, Larry Bird. I suspect it was because he was a less than movie star looks average dude who just brought skill to the table, and I'm sure my dad had a bit of influence in terms of probably commenting to me here or there that he was a talented player. I never geeked out about stats or anything, just enjoyed the game as it was being played. My fascination with basketball was relatively short-lived, unlike my enjoyment of baseball, and my still-burning love of college football (Go Huskers!).
