When Sonic the Hedgehog was first released in 1991 it blew everyone's minds.  Featuring gorgeous graphics, fast paced gameplay and an iconic mascot, Sega finally had a title that could compete with Mario.  Sonic the Hedgehog was the reason to own a Sega Genesis, on a console that had otherwise failed to impress.

But how well has the original Sonic held up by today’s standards?  We’ve made vast strides in refining 2D platformers in the past 30 years, not only in the Sonic franchise, but across the board.  Can the original really stand up to the test of time? Is Sonic The Hedgehog still a game worth playing today?

On this episode, we discuss:

• Just how fast do you actually go in this game?  While it’s theoretically possible to reach ludicrous speeds, levels are filled with trolls and traps.  Can a new player have any reasonable expectation of going fast?
• Which is the more enjoyable platforming experience?  Using memorisation to perfectly navigate a level? Or relying on reaction speeds to deftly thread the needle?
• Sonic was originally designed to be played from start to finish with no checkpoints or saving.  Modern iterations and ports, however, have both. Is having saving a strict improvement, or is there some merit to the iron mode of original Sonic?

We answer these questions, and many more, on the 31st episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

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If you enjoyed the episode and are in need of more Retro Spectives, then head on over to our website for more episodes and articles, or you can tell  us directly what you think of Sonic on our text based community discord server!

Originally released in 1990 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Crystalis was not a smash hit upon release.  It was considered just another action rpg, another zelda-clone. But in the years that followed, it slowly developed a cult following, many of who now believe it to be one of the strongest titles that was ever released for the NES.

Join Pat and James as they travel further back in time than ever before in their quest to separate the all time classics from titles that have aged like milk. Does Crystalis still have what it takes 30 years later or has modern game design left it in the dust?

In order to answer this question, Pat and James dive deep on the following topics:

• Does Crystalis’ story hold up to the hype? Post-apocalyptic settings have evolved greatly since its release and videogame writing even moreso.
• Can a strong sense of progression fill the void of fun left by the simplistic and repetitive gameplay of the NES era?
• Grinding: The good, the bad and the extremely ugly. Just how much is too much?

We discuss these topics, and many more, on the 30th episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

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If you enjoyed the episode then come and join us on our discord server! Whether you want to hang out, suggest a new game for us to play, or simply call us idiots for our terrible opinions, we’d love for you to drop by!

First released in 1999, Heroes of Might and Magic 3 is widely considered to be one of the best turn based strategy games ever made.  To this day it has a fanatical online following who strive to understand all the intricacies of the title. There are layers upon layers of complexity on display here, from the economic management to troop compositions and how you manage your various heroes.

But is it still fun to play today?  The strategy genre has had 20 years to refine itself into something a lot more sophisticated.  There are millions of different takes on 4x strategy games, from Endless Space to Civilization.  And that’s to say nothing of the other 4 Heroes titles that have come out since then. Has this third entry in the series, more than 20 years later, actually stood the test of time?

In this episode, we discuss:

• How does the economy of the game actually work?  Heroes 3 has a different set of economic chokepoints than typical strategy games.  Do they create interesting decision points, or do you just slam your econom production into overdrive?
• Does Heroes 3 have diversity in general gameplay experiences?  The game boasts an impressive 8 factions, 16 hero types, a diverse skill tree and hundreds of spells and artifacts, but does translate more significant strategic divergence than a 3 faction approach like in Starcraft?
• Is the lack of balance in the game a problem?  Heroes 3 features some absolutely off the wall insane magical spells and abilities that break the game in half.  Is this a problem, or does the random chance of going off add to the experience as a whole?

We answer these questions, and many more, on the 29th episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast! 

If you enjoyed the show and would like to continue the conversation, feel free to head on over to our Discord which you can  find here or on our website. Thanks for listening!

In 2004, an insane man named Keita Takahashi was given an enormous bucket of money and was told he could make a video-game with it. He decided to make a game about God getting drunk and destroying each and every star. The obvious fix for this silly mistake was for his son to roll up objects on Earth into a sticky ball using something called a Katamari, which he could then turn into stars...somehow.

And that's the entire game of Katamari Damacy. You roll things up into your Katamari, allowing it to grow and roll up increasingly larger objects. You go from hoovering up paperclips and thumbtacks, to soda cans and dog bowls and eventually even chairs and fence posts! After that, well...it starts to get a little out of hand. But for all its novelty and weirdness, is Katamari Damacy actually a fun game to play?

On this episode, we discuss:

• Should Katamari Damacy’s levels have a time limit? Is this best enjoyed as a purely zen experience, or does an element of anxiety add to the experience?
• What’s the deal with the control scheme? Why does up go left and down go right? Is this a controller nightmare or does this weird setup have its advantages?
• Speaking of weird, this is the one of the most bizzare games we’ve ever played. Is it off putting and random, or thematically cohesive and charming?

We answer these questions and many more on the 28th Episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

If you enjoyed the episode then come and join us on our discord server! Whether you want to hang out, suggest a new game for us to play, or simply call us idiots for our terrible opinions, we’d love for you to drop by!

In 2019 we played a lot of games. Some of them were brilliant classics that easily stood the test of time. Others were mediocre and outdated, and deservedly forgotten. Most of them, however, fall somewhere in between - excelling in certain areas while failing in others.

On this episode, we seek to highlight the absolute best aspects of these games...but also the worst, most soul crushing parts. Which game had the best graphics? Which game had the worst music? What was the most soul crushing individual moment? These are the highs and lows of Season 1 of the Retro Spectives Podcast.

On this episode, we discuss:

• What is it that makes a good story? Good characters, plot, theming, or just plain old fun?
• What is it that constitutes gameplay? Something purely mechanical, or something far more holistic?
• Is there any topic that we can respectfully disagree on, or do we always insist that a given opinion is superior to another? (of course we do, duh)

We answer these questions and many more on the 27th episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

If you enjoyed the episode then come and join us on our discord server! Whether you want to hang out, suggest a new game for us to play, or simply call us idiots for our terrible opinions, we’d love for you to drop by!

Over the past year, the Retro Spectives Podcast has started to see a small community of gamers join up to our discord server.  We talk old video-games, new video games, and tend to get into a lot of arguments over exactly which ARPGS suck and why.

As we end this year, we thought it would be fun to open up our mailbag for questions from these users.  And they all delivered with some fantastic questions! We got to talk in depth about games and their mechanics, both from the show and 2019.  We got to revisit old arguments and even got into entirely new ones! Thanks to everyone who submitted questions, keep ‘em coming!

On this episode, we discuss:

• What are the worst opinions of both James and Pat according to the other person?  It took hours to narrow down from the available possibilities, but we got there in the end.
• Is there anything that games of the past used to do that new games no longer feature?  Were they changed for the better, or has something been lost in the process?
• How many times can Patrick mention Dark Souls in an hour and 40 minutes?  The estimated over/under is 10.

We answer these questions from our listeners, and many more on the 26th episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!  We’ll see you in a fortnight to conclude our 2019 wrap up with our GOTY episode!

If you enjoyed the episode or wanted to submit questions for future episodes, then come and hang out with us over on discord  and for everything else, checkout our website at rsPodcast.net for all sorts of articles about the games we love and hate!

From Software is amongst the most critically acclaimed software developers of all time. Since 2009’s Demon’s Souls, they’ve released nothing but incredible titles and Dark Souls 2. But long before Hidtaka Miyazaki joined the company, From was mainly known for a completely different series: Armored Core.

First released in 1997 for the Playstation 1, Armored Core was an immediate hit, letting players fly around and destroy other enormous robots in short and intense bursts. But is it still a joy to play, with the advent of better control schemes and more refined graphics? Does Armored Core do its descendants proud in being a brilliant title?

On this episode, we discuss:

• Are you the bad guy? You work for a mercenary group called the Ravens, who accept contracts from all sides. Is any of the work you accept morally...dubious in nature?
• How well implemented is the customisation? Can you construct your mech in whatever fashion you choose, or are you railroaded into certain builds?
• Who designed this control scheme, and what's the easiest way to shoot them in the head? Spoiler: It ain’t in a mech!

We answer these questions, and many more, on the 25th episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

If you enjoyed the show and would like to continue the conversation, feel free to head on over to our Discord which you can  find here or on our website. Thanks for listening!

Long before PlatinumGames was revolutionising the 3D brawler space with titles like Devil May Cry 3, Bayonetta and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, they worked on a title called Viewtiful Joe.  Taking cues from comic books, power rangers and superhero films, it's a cel shaded stylistic beat ‘em up that makes an average Joe the hero of its tale. Joe must use his movie inspired superpowers to kick ass, defeat evil and save the girl!

But how fun is it to play all these years later?  Has the 2D beat ‘em up genre been entirely eclipsed by its 3D brethren?  Is Viewtiful Joe still a Viewtiful game, or does it hide poor gameplay behind is panache?

On this episode, we discuss:

• How well does Viewtiful Joe implement its visual inspirations?  Is it a slapdash coat of paint to make it stand out, or does it go far deeper?
• Does the game have  a regular and enjoyable fighting 'rhythm’, or does the constantly replenishing power bar lead to a more stilted and unsatisfying experience?
• Does Viewtiful Joe deserve an Oscar for acting AND scriptwriting for fantastic scenes like this one?

We answer these questions, and many more, on the 24th episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

If you enjoyed the show and would like to continue the conversation, feel free to head on over to our Discord which you can  find here or on our website. Thanks for listening!

On the 15th of November, 2001, the Xbox launched with a tremendous bang.  Not since Super Mario World for the SNES had a launch title been so well regarded.  Halo invented, and went on to define how console FPS games should be made - limited weapons, regenerating health, slight auto-aim - Halo made these the industry standard.  Halo was seen as a masterpiece - not just for its single player campaign, but for its fun couch co-op mode and competitive multiplayer.

But has Halo actually stood the test of time, 18 years later?  With a million sequels to its name, and the Masterchief Collection delivering a remaster of the games, is it just a nostalgic trip to visit the grandfather of console FPS?  Or does it stand up strong alongside its peers, and show the world that Halo is a true classic?  

On this episode, Patrick, James and special guest Cameron Boozarjomehri of the Sweating the Small Stuff Podcast discuss:

• How well implemented is the two-weapon system in Halo?  Is it needlessly restrictive and punishing? Or does it add to the strategic depth and tactical approaches available to you?
• How good is Halo’s level design?  Are it's inside areas just as strong as its outdoor ones?  Is its use of backtracking and reuse of assets a novel twist, or just boring and lazy?
• Will Patrick ever admit the benefits of a controller for an FPS, or will he continue to obnoxiously proclaim the superiority of mouse and keyboard?

We answer these questions, and many more, on the 23rd episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!  

If you enjoyed the show and would like to continue the conversation, feel free to head on over to our Discord which you can  find here or on our website. Thanks for listening!

Vagrant Story is one of the dark horses of the JRPG genre.  Its exposition-light storytelling is rooted in Shakespearean dialogue rather than adolescent chosen ones.  Its RPG systems are complex, but you have essentially zero control over character customisation. A rhythm mini-game forms the heart of its combat, but you’ll spend the majority of your time playing sorting through menus.  This is Vagrant Story, a mish-mash of genres and ideas, another game that defies easy explanation.

But does this all come together into an enjoyable whole?  Are Vagrant Story’s individual parts strong, and do they complement one another?  Has Vagrant Story stood the test of time, or was it a botched experiment, best left in the dungeons of the city of Lea Monde?

On this episode, we discuss:

• Vagrant Story’s plot is confusing and poorly explained.  Its characters rarely give useful exposition dumps to the player.  But is this a bad thing? Is the story more sophisticated and interesting when told in this way, or does it just lead to plot holes?
• The gameplay on display here is enormously complex.  There are many different damage systems that require deep analysis to even begin to understand.  You spend most of your time in menus trying to figure out what the most effective way to proceed is.  But doe complexity equal depth? Is Vagrant story a deep and interesting experience, or just a hard to understand one?
• Can James trick Pat into admitting that his dislike of Vagrant Story’s box puzzles means that Stephen’s Sausage Roll (the greatest game ever made - Pat) also sucks?

Find out the answers to these questions and many more on Episode 22 of Retro Spectives!

If you enjoyed the show and would like to continue the conversation, feel free to head on over to our Discord which you can  find here or on our website. Thanks for listening!