Tony Hawk's Pro Skater blew everyone away in 1999 with its take on skating - the environments seemed crisp, the physics were unreal and it had a wonderful trick system tying it all together. But just how good is this dinosaur of extreme sports if we play it today? Join Patrick as he soliloquises on whether Tony Hawk's has stood the test of time!

On this Episode, Patrick asks:

• How enjoyable is it to explore a level when you have a constantly ticking clock of just 2 minutes?
• Does the variety-centric trick combo system work to induce actual gameplay variety, or is it all surface level?
• Just how bad is the editing, and how badly do you want James back to fix it all for the next episode!

Join me, listen in and find out in Patricks very questionable solo debut!
(James was too sick to co-host or edit this week so be aware that this episode is of questionable quality)

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!

Certain games defy easy description or understanding. They unite so many disparate ideas, many of which feed into one another, that explaining it in one sentence is both a simplification and completely obtuse. And this is Megaman Battle Network 3. Its a card game - but it's also an action game. Its like pokemon - except you have no overarching goal or objective at the start of the game. Its an RPG - but you can beat the game barely touching that stuff if you’re good enough at rhythm games!

So, what exactly is Megaman Battle Network 3, and do all these elements come together into a complete package?

In this episode, we explore:

• How well do the RPG, action, and deck building parts of the gameplay work together? Do they feed into one another to create a better whole, or simply feed off one another?
• What sorts of things can you do with the customisation options available to you? Are they all damage upgrades and variants, or more diverse, allowing for creativity?
• Is the story actually decent or is James completely insane?

Find out the answers to these questions (particularly the last one) in the 10th 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!

Quake is one of the most influential shooters ever made. While its contemporaries like Duke Nukem and Blood were dabbling in the illusion heavy 2.5D, Quake chose instead to feature fully 3D models and environments. It introduced true vertical spaces, encouraged the use of the mouse to aim and forced players to manage distance far more actively. But does its gameplay hold up all these years later, or has it been eclipsed by refinements taken by more modern shooters?

In this week’s episode, we explore:

• How does the decision to make most enemies shoot projectiles or attack in melee, instead of hitscan, affect the pace and feel of the gameplay?
• Is Episode 4 the apex of the Quake experience, with its larger spaces and more abundant power ups? Or do those very things detract from the more skill-testing, claustrophobic environs?
• Just how many shades of green and brown can you use in the creation of 23 near identical castles?

Find out if Quake has truly stood the test of time in the 9th 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!

Silent Hill 2 holds a special place in many people’s hearts. Its held up as a poster child for both its oppressive atmosphere and the multi-layered and surreal tale it tells, of the town and the people that have been drawn to it. It tried to tell a story quite different from the conspiracy driven Resident Evil or the demon invasion of Doom 3. Is Silent Hill 2’s psychological horror as scary as ever? Does the gameplay of collecting keys and solving puzzles contribute to the atmosphere?

In this week’s episode, we explore:

• How important is the gameplay in what is primarily regarded as a narrative driven game? Can you tell a horrifying story if you’re spending most of your time solving puzzles?
• Just what is it that’s so special about the town of Silent Hill? How important is a sense of place in establishing atmosphere and immersion?
• How can we reconcile the terrible events of the game with the fact that a Shizu was controlling all of our fates from the very beginning?

Find out what we really think on the 8th, and longest so far, episode 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!

Ape Escape was a defining platformer of the Playstation 1 era, notably being the very first to require a dualshock controller to play. It truly pushed the limits of that controller, incorporating the joysticks in a way no game has done since. You journey through each level, trying to capture apes and send them back to the zoo where they belong - no-one tell PETA about the game. Do the innovative controls and basic gameplay loop of capturing monkeys hold up to this day, or is it just plain monkey-ing around?

In this week’s episode, we discuss:

• Are the joystick controls for activating gadgets a revolutionary and unique twist, or just bloody annoying?
• How fun is it to hunt, subdue and capture the evil, escaped monkeys? Do the gadgets give us enough options to do so?
• How is it possible that James hates the music so much when he’s so in love with Banjo Kazooie’s soundtrack?

Find out the answers to these questions, and many more, in this week’s episode 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!

F-Zero GX is a Gamecube classic that sought to turn the challenge of the racing genre all the way to 11. It's a game where braking is actively discouraged, and if your speed ever drops below 1000km/h you’ve made a serious mistake. It combines this insane pace with gravity defying tracks that bend and twist in on themselves creatively. Does F Zero GX’s refined racing formulae stand up to modern day criticism, or is it just too difficult?

In this week’s episode, we discuss:

• Just how fast are you really going in F-Zero GX? Are these legitimate speeds, or is it all a clever illusion?
• Does the story mode of the game teach you the lessons you need to complete the grand prixs? Or is it the other way round?
• Are long straight tracks where you get to go super fast far superior (team Pat), or is it better when the track is filled with difficult, hairpin turns (team James)?

Find out the answers to these questions, and many more, in this week’s episode 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!

Red Alert 2 proposes a question that every military nut wants answered: What would happen if the Soviet Union invaded the United States of America? Except the Soviet Union has mind control technology and trained giant killer squids, while the United States relies on Albert Einstein to develop weapons of mass destruction for them. Does Red Alert 2 represent the apex of the genre, or is it just another boring base builder?

In today’s episode, we ask ourselves:

• Is Red Alert 2’s dual pronged story a cinematic masterpiece or just a bunch of terrible scenes stitched together?
• Can an RTS with very simple mechanics still be as enjoyable as one with a million upgrades and options?
• How much frustration do James and Patrick have to endure before we remember that alt-tabbing crashes the game 100% of the time?

Find out the answers to these questions, and many more on episode 5 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!

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is a game that served as direct inspiration for titles like Dark Souls and Hollow Knight despite being released in 1997. Its influence can be seen not only in these games, but in the entire genre of metroidvania. Has Symphony of the Night stood the test of time or does it wallow in the shadow of those it inspired? On today’s episode, we answer this question by examining the following:

• Is having deviously hidden features a reward for the investigative
  gamer, or just cryptic nonsense?
• Can the aesthetics of a 22 year old game stand up to modern
  offerings?
• Is Castlevania’s soundtrack truly a symphony, or just nails on a
  chalkboard?

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!

Prince of Persia: Warrior Within was a stark departure from its prequel in terms of aesthetic. What was originally a whimsical adventure turned into a dark and edgy romp. But it also gained a far more sophisticated combat system and tried to build on its inspired platforming mechanics. Does it succeed in bringing these elements together, or is it all edge with no substance?

In today’s episode, we look at:

• What exactly is so special about Prince of Persia’s platforming?
• Does the ‘free-form’ combat system deliver on its promise of being a dynamic and reactive experience?
• Just how many bugs can one game have?

All these and more, in the third episode of Retro Spectives!

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

When Banjo-Kazooie came out, it bucked the trend of 3d platformers. It had no interest in really testing your platforming chops, honed from hundreds of hours of playing Super Mario 64. It didn’t want to put you through a gauntlet of combat challenges. It simply presented a series of beautiful and detailed worlds for you to explore to your hearts content.

On this week’s episode, Pat and James ask:

• Do Banjo Kazooie’s controls still hold up today? They were made in the early eras of 3d platforming, after all.
• Exactly how much fun is it to pick up hundreds of collectables?
• Is Patrick a bad guy for not listening to the music?

Join us as we figure out if Banjo-Kazooie has stood the test of time!
 

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!