So, what you playing at the mo? Retro Edition

o1s1n

I played the first three before giving up on the series. 2 and 3 really didn't compare to 1. You're right about the isolation, adding people really ruined the whole atmosphere that made the game what it was.

Haven't played any since that though. Wouldn't mind having a bash at the first one again. Although I have a horrible feeling its probably dated quite badly. (Could be wrong though!)

valleyoftheunos

Uncharted has really become the spiritual successor to Tomb Raider, the same aesthetic and vibe. I always found the controls in TR awkward and a barrier to the game but I'm sure thats not the case for most here.

CiDeRmAn

I think Tomb Raider is one of those series that really suffers now, the wonderful things about the original, I played a rendition enhanced version on the PC, were the visuals, the feeling of playing a type of game never seen before (although it really was 3D Prince of Persia), and the sublime level design.
Certainly the latter point hasn't lessened over the years, The Cistern is still a briliant piece of 3 dimensional puzzling, but it's no longer a beautiful game, we have seen better games of it's type since, and the licence certainly suffered from dilution over the years with lacklustre sequels.
The controls are the biggest culprit though, why does a fat plumber glide through the air like a ballerina crossed with a ninja, whilst a lithe tomb raiding superwoman moves like a WWII tank?

o1s1n

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

The controls are the biggest culprit though, why does a fat plumber glide through the air like a ballerina crossed with a ninja, whilst a lithe tomb raiding superwoman moves like a WWII tank?

Hah! That made me LOL, thanks

So true though. Please tell me Tomb Raider games don't still use tank controls? I absolutely hate them. Always somewhat marred my experience of RE games.

Retr0gamer

If you want to play the original again I suggest you play anniversary which I thought was excellent. Apart from ruining the T-rex moment it was a great game and loads of fun and the commentary with Toby Gard is excellent. I kept saying to myself that the waterfall, T-rex etc. were much bigger in the original but in the commentary Toby Gard says when they were made to scale that they looked too small and the T-rex is actually twice the size of the one in the first game and far too big for any t-rex that ever lived and they made the waterfall 4 times bigger than in the original. It's a nicer way of losing the rose tinted specs than the slap in the face that going back to the original might be.

o1s1n

Seriously? That's amazing, it really goes to show what nostaliga can do to your memory. In my mind that T rex is an absolute monster of a thing. I seriously didn't know anything about it in the game and it absolutely scared the bejasus out of me.

Retr0gamer

I remember playing it on my P100 PC with a Power VR card. Thought it was the most amazing thing ever. I had to play everything in 320x240 or 640x480 but when I got my Power VR graphics accelerator I thought that video game graphics couldn't get any better. Tomb Raider was running at 1600x1200 60fps with gorgeous transparencies and texture filtering so it didn't look blocky anymore and gorgeous water and fog effects. It was the best thing ever until I found out that the version of the game that was packaged in ended exactly halfway through the game. Had to go out and buy the full game and start from the start since my save wasn't compatible. Still loved ever moment (except the crappy Atlantis bits other than the doppleganger). I still hold the cistern level as one of the best pieces of level design and walking out of that tunnel to see that massive level flooded with water as one of my all time favourite gaming moments.

With anniversary the whole game is bigger and better but the wow! factor isn't there. There was literally nothing like it at the time. It's a shame they got it so wrong in the sequels where you rarely raided tombs (I hear that the fourth game was a return to form and then ruined by chronicles) and had crappy human enemies with the worst AI ever.

o1s1n

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I remember playing it on my P100 PC with a Power VR card. Thought it was the most amazing thing ever. I had to play everything in 320x240 or 640x480 but when I got my Power VR graphics accelerator I thought that video game graphics couldn't get any better. Tomb Raider was running at 1600x1200 60fps with gorgeous transparencies and texture filtering so it didn't look blocky anymore and gorgeous water and fog effects.

Had a similar experience in a friends house. He also had a P100 (Much to my extreme jealously) and got Tomb Raider along with either a Voodoo 2 or a Voodoo 3 card. I remember in those days graphics cards always came with an arse load of games.

Retr0gamer

If it was a P100 then it was probably a voodoo 1 since Voodoo 2 wouldn't work on a P100!

CiDeRmAn

I had a Rendition card first, which I loved with a special version of Quake and Mechwarrior 2, then I had a 3DFX card, on which I ran glQuake and Mechwarrior 3.
Amazingly the best looking game I played didn't need a graphics accelerator at all, a game called I-War, absolutely gorgeous, they rendered the models in a high resolution with the appropriate textures before "downgrading" them to a poly model the crappy pcs could handle, and the game looked fantastic, all done in software too!

Retr0gamer

Mechwarrior 2 came with every graphics accelerator at the time I absolutely loved it!

o1s1n

Retr0gamer wrote: »

If it was a P100 then it was probably a voodoo 1 since Voodoo 2 wouldn't work on a P100!

I think it may have actually been a p133. Fairly sure it wasn't a Voodoo 1 as he wanted to sell that to me when he upgraded to a TNT 2. Hmmm. Wonder if he still has it. Probably does actually.

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Mechwarrior 2 came with every graphics accelerator at the time I absolutely loved it!

Fantastic game. Played through it on the PS1 myself. Cant imagine the graphics were anything close to the PC version, but it was still enjoyable.

I took a gamble and traded it in for a shooter called Jupiter Strike once I'd completed it. What a god awful game that was. So I swapped that with my cousin for Lone Soldier. An even WORSE game.

Retr0gamer

The PS1 version of Mechwarrior 2 was a completely different beast to the PC version. They dumbed it down and changed it totally to be a more action orientated game. It was damn good but the PC version was way better and was more a simulation and a damn good one at that.

CiDeRmAn

Just "got" Mechwarrior 2 for the Saturn, must try it out and report

o1s1n

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

Just "got" Mechwarrior 2 for the Saturn, must try it out and report

Your Saturn cries at the prospect of having to work with polygons

CiDeRmAn

Tears of joy when I first played Burning Rangers and Panzer Dragoon, they are great looking games, regardless of the host system.
Also the original Daytona on the Saturn is a triumph of gameplay over graphics, even though the visuals pretty much do a low res version of the arcade game, now with added pop-up, the game is much better than the follow up, Daytona:Championship Circuit Editon, where they tried to make better graphics but added rubbish controls instead.

Retr0gamer

I've played a bit of Sin and Punishment lately and I have to say it doesn't look like a typical N64 game, that is to say severely dated in this day and age. It looks gorgeous and some of the set pieces are still fantastic. Takes a bit of getting used to on the GC controller though. I have to say that the part where you are taking on a fleet of navy ships and aircraft carriers is by far the most impressive thing I've ever seen the N64 doing and all with out the ram cart.

o1s1n

Any idea if they tuned it up for the Wii? or are you using the homebrew channel? It's a game I've always wanted to get my n64 modded for.

Spent a bit of time the last couple of days playing Alisa Dragoon. Such an under rated game. Have since downloaded the soundtrack. It's brilliant.

Retr0gamer

Well like all N64 games they got rid of the N64 blur, added proper anti aliasing and it runs in 480p so it looks a lot better.

o1s1n

I know with Starfox they supposedly included some higher resolution textures and (I think) some extra water effects? The higher resolutions might just be an effect of the 480p though.

One thing I always wanted with that game was the ability to unlock levels. I love the tank level but it takes too bloody long to play through to get to it!

Retr0gamer

They never added anything to Starfox 64 except the higher resolution and anti aliasing again. The only game they changed was waverace 64 to take out the kawasaki logos.

97i9y3941

robocop vs terminator..

Retr0gamer

I absolutely detest that game. Take away the license and you are left with a ****ty contra clone. Awful stuff and even the mildy hilarious ott gore effects stop towards the end. You are better off playing a good game like majyuouu or contra hard corp.

o1s1n

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I absolutely detest that game. Take away the license and you are left with a ****ty contra clone. Awful stuff and even the mildy hilarious ott gore effects stop towards the end. You are better off playing a good game like majyuouu or contra hard corp.

But majyuouu and contra hard corp don't feature Robocop..or Terminators

It's a great game. I've always really enjoyed it. And I have impeccable taste and a higher degree in fine art/aesthetics from the only art university in the country, so you must just be wrong

Fred83 - make sure if you're playing it you put in the uncensored code. They removed all the female characters and some extra animations. In the uncensored version, when robocop dies he falls apart. And he can also be set on fire.

Unfortunately I only found out about this in the last couple of years

At the title screen press -

C, B, A, B, B, C, B, B, C, B, B, C, C, B, C, B, C, A, C, C, A, A, A, B, B, B, A, C, A

97i9y3941

o1s1n wrote: »

It's a great game. I've always really enjoyed it. And I have impeccable taste and a higher degree in fine art/aesthetics from the only art university in the country, so you must just be wrong

true,i loved way they took ED209+cain from robocop 2 and made them as bosses

Augmerson

Robocop 2 is the greatest game ever. Anyone who denies this is a flatulant vagrant.

o1s1n

Augmerson wrote: »

Robocop 2 is the greatest game ever. Anyone who denies this is a flatulant vagrant.

I loved that when I was younger.

Got a cart of it again a few months ago. I'm was rubbish at it!

Augmerson

2nd level of Robocop 2 is probably as far as I got. I run out of lives and after awhile I just give up. The game was alright, I like it and throw it on every now and again. I like how Robocop glides along the ground like he is iceskating, but when you clear a level and do not pick up enough nuke you have to repeat it, but first you must do the shooting range. Argghhhh.

Been playing further on in Tomb Raider: Legend. I was feeling very 'meh' about the game but it has gotten my attention again after some brief encounters with mediocrity. Still not as memorable as Anniversary but it's alright

o1s1n

Wooh! just 1 cced Mercs. Didn't even come anywhere close to dieing once in the whole game. To tell you the truth, it's not really that difficult to do if you put your mind to it.
Now, back to Megadrive Probotector!

Retr0gamer

I've done it many times. It's good training for the arcade game which is harder but doable as well and the MD version is very close. Once you get the rockets you are sorted

o1s1n

Yeah will move on to the arcade version next. I don't think I've actually played it since back in the arcades. Not something I ever think of firing up on MAME.

Dark Savior

I play it (mercs)on the Ps1 but I'm crap at it.I'd honestly say I have to continue at least a dozen times to make any progress.I really need a partner to battle with me.

Just finished playing Super Mario Land on the snes via the super gameboy as corblimey mentioned in a thread.Still good for a quick burst of Mario and still as easy,didn't anyone ever play-test the game

o1s1n

I think they must have thought -

Handheld, therefore people will want to be able to pick up and play quickly, geared towards younger kids..we must make it easy. Or something.

Not that I mind though, it's nice if you're looking for a quick play through of a Mario game and don't want the difficulty that usually goes with it.

Haven't played through on my Super Gameboy though. That's an idea!

97i9y3941

ooooooh mercs is f#cking brill game,loved it on md,have it on the that lovely psx capcom compilation that came out in the 90s,which also has ghouls and ghosts,super ghouls and ghosts

CiDeRmAn

Well, it wasn't like there was a genuine handheld market up to the launch of the Gameboy, aside from the likes of the Game&Watch series, so I reckon Nintendo can be forgiven for misreading the future demands of a whole genre that they had only just invented!
I have played it via the HBC on the Wii, and via the GB emulator on the DS and it's still a nice game,
Super Mario Land 2 is astounding though, given the limitations of the machine and Super Mario Bros DX on the GBC is a very nice conversion as well, with all the shortcuts included.

Retr0gamer

Mario Land 2 is awesome. First game I had on the GB and I played the **** out of it.

honkytonk52

just talking about mercs there i think im gonna go up there turn it on...to be honest i was always a bit crap at it...but i was a lot younger then

o1s1n

Just focus on dodging the bullets than being all Rambo and running in with guns blazing (That was the mistake I'd been making all these years)

Treat it like a space shooter. It's easy enough.

I think I over used the oul Mega Crashes a bit though. As soon as a boss almost shot me *BOOM* mega crash. Made it a bit too easy.

Retr0gamer

I can beat it without megacrushes. Hardest boss for me are the second level boss because of how unpredictable he is (much tougher in arcade as well) and the boat boss because the flamethrower does stupid damage. The train boss is a toughie but the pattern is easy to learn. My trick is to use the rocket launcher, finishes bosses off in no time.

o1s1n

I played through it only using the green laser spread beam thing. It's one gun I always avoid as I hate the noise it makes.. (And it doesn't look nearly as cool as the flamethrower deaths!) Thought I'd do the opposite this time and only use it. And what do you know, the game is easy enough with it.

I think I'll do the same thing with all the weapons and see which one is the hardest to get through the game with. It's gotta be the flame thrower.

Augmerson

Just cleared Tomb Raider Legend. Feeling a little 'meh'. I have Anniversary and that is a great game, easily gets onto my top 10 PS2 games. Legend is like...it's like that redhead out of Girls Aloud. She's actually not half bad, but when you put her beside Nadine Coyle and Cheryl Cole, she's a bag of dirt. Legend is like this. It's a good game, but play Anniversary and you start to wonder where it all went wrong. In the last level 2 or 3 levels I was hoping there was more to come as it had actually got me excited and revved up only for the credits to roll....lame.

The boss was too easy aswell. Still going to get Underworld asap.

o1s1n

I was out in my parents today and managed to dig out some ps1 games I haven't seen in ages. Including Tomb Raider 1-3. Think I'm going to give them a go during the week.

Retr0gamer

Playing some Soul Blazer at the moment and have to say it's really damn good. Just like actraiser there's nothing special about it but everything in the game comes together to make it much better than the sum of it's parts.

CiDeRmAn

I played a spot of Sonic 2 last night, still great.
Got a good genesis emu running on the DS and it's cool to have such a catalog of games on the go, she also runs a great NES, GB/C and Snes emu, of course my microSD is about to explode!

James Howlett

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

I played a spot of Sonic 2 last night, still great.
Got a good genesis emu running on the DS and it's cool to have such a catalog of games on the go, she also runs a great NES, GB/C and Snes emu, of course my microSD is about to explode!

is that hard to do? run an emulator for mega drive games on the DS?

o1s1n

James Howlett wrote: »

is that hard to do? run an emulator for mega drive games on the DS?

Nope not at all. You just need to get a DS megadrive emulator and put it on a r4 or something similar. It's been a while since I did it but I remember it being a breeze.

As for the topic, had some good craic last night with the ps1. Finally managed to get a load of my games out of storage and into the new apartment.

Played through the first couple of levels of Tomb Raider 1. It's still great! I forgot how atmospheric some of the music was. And the controls, they all came back to me as if I'd only played it the day before. Not a 10+ year time gap. Great great game. I'll be playing through this again until completion.

The original analog pad really came into it's own too. It's so much more comfortable than the dual shock. Actually I tried using the dual shock for Rez afterwards and the handles felt uncomfortably stubby. Yuck.

Retr0gamer

The later Tomb Raider games were kind of horrible to play. Glad to hear that the first one still holds up and is as good today as it ever was.

Although this is coming from a robocop vs. Terminator fan :P

Retr0gamer

Interesting useless bit of trivia from the anniversary edition but the lost city of Valcamba that you explore in Tomb Raider was discovered before the first game was made but only identified as Valcamba afterwards. There was a lack of dinosaurs and raptors living there.

James Howlett

When I first played Tomb Raider, back in '96, I had an interesting encounter with the T-Rex.

I could hear it coming towards Lara on screen and I thought to myself:
"If you stay completely still, it can't see you."

Sure enough Lara held her own, not making a move as the T-Rex came ever closer... and then I saw Lara Croft die for the first, but no means last, time.

Have to hand it to Jurassic Park for that advice there:D

o1s1n

Last night I was up really high and threw a switch for a door on ground level.

'Ah, I can jump off to get down quicker, doesn't matter if I lose a bit of health. I haven't use a health pack yet so have lots spare'

/Lara Jumps of, hits the bottom -

CRACK! goes every limb in her body.

WAH!!!! screams Oisin in shock/fright. I'd completely forgotten that happened. Scared the **** out of me.