Retro Spectives

Diablo 2 is one of the most influential games ever made.  Evolving on the basic formulae created in Diablo 1, it introduced many concepts that are now considered genre staples: skill trees, socketed items, champion packs and the stash.  Not only have countless games just like it come in its wake - every single element of this game has been spun off into other genres.  MMOs take from Diablo 2.  FPS games take from Diablo 2.  Its tendrils writhe deep into the flesh of the gaming landscape, even today.

But for all of its influence, is it still worth playing the original?  If every aspect of what makes this game has been evolved upon, not just in its own genre, but in others, can the humble original still be worth playing over everything that has come out since?

We are joined by special guest Shane Koski of the Retro Hangover Podcast to delve deep into exactly what it is that makes Diablo 2 tick - and whether, at the end of it, it is worth playing an ARPG that is over 20 years old.

On this episode, we discuss:

• How well has the action component of Diablo 2 held up?  Is running, evading enemy fire, using abilities and potion chugging still the frantic and fun experience it was back in 2000?
• Do Diablo 2’s skill trees offer a good level of customisation and creativity in its character builds?  To what degree must you rely on external research when forging a character?
• Does Diablo 2’s itemisation hold up in the face of modern takes like Diablo 3 and Path of Exile?  Does a flatter power curve (rune words aside) lead to a more engaging game, or one where power ups are hardly noticeable?

We answer these questions and many more on the 84th episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

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Intro Music: KieLoBot - Tanzen K

Outro Music: Rockit Maxx - One point to another

Diablo 2 OST: Matt Uelmen

We had yet another excellent guest on the show - Shane Koski of the Retro Hangover Podcast!  They do deep dive critiques of video games that are at least 10 years old, and they have some fantastic stuff - I highly recommend checking out their Tomb Raider and Parasite Eve episodes.  You can also join their discord community here to join the conversation.

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Our Diablo 1 Episode

The Hidden Cost of Optimisation

Swampletics

Rhykker’s Youtube Channel

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What is it exactly about Diablo 2 that makes people enjoy it more than any other ARPG?  Are Rune Words really as bad as we say, or do they overall add to the experience?  Did you have a similar experience to us on Diablo 3 launch day?  Come let us know what you think on our community discord server!

House of the Dead 2 is one of the most famous, and most successful, arcade cabinet games of all time.  Not only that, it's been credited along with Resident Evil for spearheading the resurgence of zombies in media that occurred in the late 90s.  But for all its success, I don’t think anyone could have anticipated the spinoff title that would emerge just a year later: The Typing of the Dead.

The game stays shockingly close to the original, with the main change being replacing shooting bullets at enemies with typing increasingly difficult words and phrases, with each keystroke representing a bullet.  You’re still on rails, still following the same story, but instead of a gun you have a Sega with a giant battery strapped on your back.  It's a bizarre game, and you can’t deny the novelty - but is it actually a fun game to play?  Or does it’s legacy and value lie in its strangeness alone?

On this episode, we discuss:

• Just how bad is Typing of the Dead’s storytelling and voice acting?  Does bad voice acting have any intrinsic value, or are we lucky to have the professional voice acting of the present?
• Is there any value to dynamic difficulty whatsoever, or is it always going to be worse than having selectable and set difficulty options?
• How much of the enjoyment of Typing of the Dead can be attributed to the aesthetics and feel of blowing apart zombies with each keystroke?  

We answer these questions and many more on the 83rd episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

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Intro Music: KieLoBot - Tanzen K

Outro Music: Rockit Maxx - One point to another

Typing of the Dead OST: Tetsua Kawauchi

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Next fortnight we’re taking on the giant of the ARPG scene: Diablo 2!  We’ll be joined by special guest Shane of the Retro Hangover Podcast to evaluate if it can possibly be worth your time to go back and play one of the most famous Blizzard titles ever made.  Check them out for some great discussion of retro video games!

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Is Typing of the Dead the only good typing game in existence?  What do you think of the original Light Gun games that its based off?  Should James feel ashamed for no longer using a mechanical keyboard?  Come let us know what you think on our community discord server!

Eternal Darkness is a game that holds a special place in a lot of people’s hearts.  You play as Alexandra Roivos, called to her father’s mansion to confirm his identity after he is found dead and horrifically mangled.  Annoyed by the police’s incompetence at solving this murder, Alex begins to explore the mansion in the hope that it will reveal some clues as to how he died.  Before too long she discovers the first pages of the Book of Eternal Darkness, detailing the first encounter of a Roman legion named Augustus with an Eldritch Abomination.  As she continues to explore, she learns more and more about these cosmic horrors and ordinary people’s encounters with them, and how it all ties into her father and her family history.

The game was released to insane critical acclaim, and on paper it's easy to see why.  Spell crafting, full body dismemberment, a terrifying story about lovecraftian horrors and a story spanning 12 characters and 2000 years.  But do these aspects all add to a compelling narrative and gameplay experience, or is it more shallow than initially appears?

On this episode, we discuss:

• What does it mean for something to belong to the cosmic horror genre?  Is Eternal Darkness truly lovecraftian, or is that just a disguise it wears over the top of something far more banal?
• How does the spellcrafting, and spellcasting of Eternal Darkness work?  Does it provide you options in combat both offensively and defensively?  Are you given enough rope to truly craft your own spells?
• How challenging is Eternal Darkness?  Are you limited in terms of resources, and are the horrors of the story reflected in its mechanical identity?

We answer these questions and many more on the 82nd episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

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Intro Music: KieLoBot - Tanzen K

Outro Music: Rockit Maxx - One point to another

Eternal Darkness OST: Steve Henifin

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Is there more depth to the spellcrafting than there initially appears?  Was there a particular vignette that stood out to you as well done?  What are you hoping to see in a sequel?  Let us know what you think on our community discord server!

The release of Goldeneye in 1995 was one of the most successful reboots in cinematic history.  Pierce Brosnan’s take on Bond was suave and sophisticated, with just a touch of melancholy, which was the perfect fit for a more grounded and serious Bond film.  It had its fair share of silly moments, but there was something special about Goldeneye that made it memorable.

So it was no surprise to anyone when just two years later, we got a game based off the movie - Goldeneye 007, released for the Nintendo 64.  The big FPS games at this time were still a long way off mimicking reality, whether it was the brown eldritch hallways of Quake or the satirical and colourful streets of Duke 3D.  Goldeneye 007 strove to hit those realistic notes, being one of the early adopters of headshots, AI behaviour and objective based gameplay instead of just murdering everyone on sight.  And every mission has at least a referential link to an event in the movie, truly putting you in the role of James Bond.

But does this all add up to an enjoyable experience today?  While Goldeneye may have been a forerunner of the console FPS, does that necessarily mean it does everything right?  What was once revolutionary back in 1997 might just be quaint and outdated today - and was its approach genuinely better than its PC contemporaries?

On this episode, we discuss:

• How well does Goldeneye 007 tell its story?  Do you remain emotionally invested in its characters and plot just like you were when watching the movie, or does it fall flat?
• How does the structure of objective based gameplay influence the overall pacing compared to just murdering enemies?  Is the game better for having this structure, and does it execute it well?
• How enjoyable is the moment to moment gameplay of Goldeneye?  Does running around at lightning speeds and hip firing at goons actually add up to anything substantial?

We answer these questions and many more on the 81st episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

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We played Goldeneye 007 on 1964, a custom built emulator specifically created for Goldeneye 007 and Perfect Dark.  It's bloody amazing, and has support for a mouse and keyboard control scheme as well as a bunch of fantastic visual options including FOV and fps.  Highly recommend getting this if you want to give the game a spin.

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Are the objectives in Goldeneye really that obtuse, or are we just being dense?  Which console FPS should we try next - Perfect Dark or Timesplitters?  Is Xena Onatopp the best Bond girl?  Come let us know what you think on our community discord server!

Mushihimesama is one of many arcade titles developed by Cave, who were best known for their danmaku or ‘bullet hell’ style shoot ‘em ups during the late 90’s and 2000’s. 
First released in 2004, Mushihimesama stood in stark contrast to the glut of sci-fi shooters with its beautiful visual style that depicted a wild and untamed fantasy world ruled by enormous insects. Since then it has seen many re-releases on the PlayStation 2, Xbox360, phones, PC and most recently the Nintendo Switch.      

In Mushihimesama you take control of Reco, daughter to the royal family, on her quest to save her village from the enormous insect-like Koujuu. While you’ll destroy hundreds of these immense beasts on your journey, you’ll find their sheer firepower to be a seemingly overwhelming threat.  Mushihimesama does the bullet hell genre proud, splaying thousands of bullets on your screen in ever increasing complexity, with it taking only a single stray bullet to consume one of your precious lives.  You do your best to weave between the bulletstorm before inevitably failing, and trying yet again.

We’re joined by special guest George Witt of the Nostalgia Goggles podcast to discuss the ins and outs of the game, from its fundamental structure as an arcade cabinet game to the visuals and sound.  Is Mushihimesama a game worth your time to play today, or does it deserve to burn in bullet hell? 

On this episode, we discuss:

• Does Mushihimesama’s structure as a One Credit Clear arcade-game enhance or detract from the enjoyment of playing it versus traditional titles with checkpoints or quicksaves?  Do the plethora of practice and alternative modes alleviate the need for checkpoints?
• How enjoyable is the moment to moment gameplay?  Is dodging bullets as enjoyable as it seemed to be in the Matrix, and in what ways does the game turn it from a seeming impossibility to something tangible and achievable?
• How does Mushihimesama use its aesthetics and sound in such a way that it doesn’t conflict with the mechanical heart of the gameplay experience?

We answer these questions and many more on the 80th episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

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Thanks again to George for appearing on our show!  Nostalgia Goggles is not only a great show in its own right, they also started way before us, making them the original and the best.  If you enjoy what you hear on Retro Spectives, Nostalgia Goggles will be right up your alley - it's dense and involved analysis on what makes these classic games tick and why.  Go check them out!

Nostalgia Goggles Website

Nostalgia Goggles Twitter

George’s Twitter

Pat will be appearing on their show in a few months time to talk about the RTS behemoth Starcraft, so please subscribe so you don’t miss out!

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Intro Music: KieLoBot - Tanzen K

Outro Music: Rockit Maxx - One point to another

Mushihimesama OST: Manabu Namiki, Masaharu Iwata

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Are there any other bullet hell shooters we should check out?  How important is the structure of the game as a 1CC game to its identity?  Were there any secrets lives or features that we misunderstood or missed?  Come let us know what you think and join the conversation on our community discord server! 

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory comes with a weighty legacy.  Many consider this 2005 game to be the best stealth game of all time, edging out even games like Metal Gear Solid and Thief.  Chaos Theory builds on the first two games in the series, introducing smarter AI, slightly more open level design and a unique hacking tool built to fit the cyber themed story that the game tries to tell.

When we played Splinter Cell 1, we both really enjoyed the experience.  And on paper, Chaos Theory does everything that the first does and much more.  Does this all add up to a game that improves on the basic, yet refined gameplay experience that Splinter Cell 1 gave us?  Or is it just a bunch of different features that look good on a box (or in a review)?

On this episode, we discuss:

• What did we think of the story of Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory?  Does its take on cyber warfare and espionage come across as thrilling and realistic, or is it just a quaint misunderstanding on how technology of the future would function?
• Does giving the player more choices in how they approach stealth necessarily improve the experience?  Or does the level design need to evolve to reflect those options?
• What did we think of the non-critical side objectives in Chaos Theory?  Do they provide a meaningful challenge, or are they just busywork?

We answer these questions and many more on the 79th episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

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Intro Music: KieLoBot - Tanzen K

Outro Music: Rockit Maxx - One point to another

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory OST - Amon Tobin

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Make sure you check out our episode on Splinter Cell 1 for more stealth gaming goodness!

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Are we on to something with our opinions on Chaos Theory, or are we completely mad?  Are there any other major stealth games we haven’t covered that you’d like to see us explore?  Is Chaos Theory really the best in the series, or was it just the best at the time it was released?  Come let us know what you think on our community discord server!

Celeste is not your average platformer.  When it was released in 2018, it took the world by storm, delighting casual players and speedrunners alike.  Its levels were divided into screens reminiscent of Super Meat Boy, featuring fast and frequent death with extremely frequent checkpoints.  It had a simple, but warming and competently written story, a rarity for the platforming genre.  And while it might appear simple at first glance, the mechanics at play here unfold deeper and deeper the more you seek to master what the game has to offer.

We round out our second Xmas special with a detailed breakdown of everything that makes Celeste tick - the music, the story, the gameplay mechanics and much more.  Is Celeste really the new high watermark for 2D platformers, overthrowing the old guard like Mario and Sonic?  Or have we just been bewitched by something new and unusual?

On this episode, we discuss:

• Is Celeste a difficult game, and is there a distinction between how punishing a game is versus how difficult it appears?  What is the difficulty curve like, from the A sides all the way to Chapter 9?
• How does Madeline feel to control, and what does Celeste do to finetune this experience?  Can a simple moveset of jumping, climbing and dashing inform a deeply satisfying mechanical experience compared to a more complicated moveset?
• Is it fair to classify Celeste as a precision platformer?  In what ways does the main game and the different cassette tapes emphasise precision, technique and puzzle solving?

We answer these questions and many more on the 78th episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

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Intro Music: KieLoBot - Tanzen K

Outro Music: Rockit Maxx - One point to another

Celeste OST; Farewell OST: Lena Raine

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Maddy’s Article on Madeline being canonically trans

Game Maker's Toolkit on why Celeste feels good to play

Twitter thread detailing a lot of hidden game feel design choices

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Enjoy the show?  Are we right to claim that Celeste is the greatest platformer of all time?  Got any games that you’d like to see us review?  Come let us know what you think on our community discord server!

It's Mailbag time!  In this episode, Pat and James continue the Christmas tradition of answering listener questions in their third annual Mailbag episode.  

We want to say a special thank you to everyone in our discord community, both for the questions and just being with us over the years.  When we started the podcast we always hoped that something like this would happen, but realising it is something else all together.  You are all the reason we continue to record episode after episode - it makes it all worthwhile.

So grab a cocoa, snuggle up and listen in as we ramble, philosophise, and criticise our way through the mailbag!

On this episode, we discuss:

• Why exactly is Dark Souls 2 a bad video game?  We’ve both slagged off the dark sheep of the From Software catalogue in multiple episodes - and now you’re finally going to find out why.
• Which genre has stood the test of time the best so far?  What genres have evolved into something fundamentally better, and which ones have either stayed the same or even gotten worse?
• What are your favourite books and why?  Luckily we constrained ourselves to 2 books each otherwise this episode might never have ended.

We answer these questions and many more on the 77th episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

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Intro Music: KieLoBot - Tanzen K

Outro Music: Rockit Maxx - One point to another

Storvki Main: Andriesh Gandrabur

Be Careful: Mieko Ishikawa

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If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you'd rate us, drop a review, or join up to our community discord server!  We take listener suggestions for games, host game nights for our multiplayer titles, and we love criticising and discussing all video games, old or new. 

When Street Fighter 2 first released in arcades in 1991, it single handedly revolutionised the fighting game genre.  It introduced shocking concepts like letting you select more than one character!  And for the very first time combinations of attacks could be strung together while the enemy player was still stunned (which, hilariously, was a bug).  Its characters essentially defined the archetypes and set the baseline for how characters should be designed.  This was the Mario or the Doom of the fighting genre.

A few years, and many revisions later, we got the final version of Street Fighter 2 - Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo.  It doubled the character roster, introduced supers, added extra moves, and included many different balance changes to keep its competitive spirit alive.  To this day, there is still a small community that enjoys throwing down using Fightcade.  

But we’re now more than 25 years from the release of this iconic title.  What once was incredible is now assumed.  This is a game with no training mode and a single player mode that may as well not exist.  This is a game with a paucity of mechanics compared to any number of modern titles.  This is a game which has 3 more entries in the series, let alone considering other contenders like Guilty Gear or Tekken.  Can it be possible that its worth playing today?

On this episode, we discuss:

• Is Street Fighter 2 better or worse for having specials?  Should moves essential to a character’s build be barred behind having to enter commands in a precise sequential way, or is it an arbitrary imposition?
• Does Street Fighter 2’s neutral heavy game and more limited focus on combos lead to a more fun and engaging experience than other combo-centric fighters like Dragon Ball Fighter Z?
• Does the character variety present here still hold up when compared to its modern brethren, many of which have 3-4x the number of characters?

We answer these questions and many more on the 76th episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

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Intro Music: KieLoBot - Tanzen K

Outro Music: Rockit Maxx - One point to another

Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo OST: Isao Abe Syun Nishigaki

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Special thanks to everyone who played some Street Fighter 2 with us this week!  It was a lot of fun talking about and complaining about Street Fighter with you all.  If you’d like to play in future community games, or simply want to join the discussion, you can find our discord server here!

When Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom was released in 2002, it was not to a fanfare of fervor or excitement.  This was the 6th title in Impression Games’ city builder series, and it was widely viewed as more of the same.  Caesar, Pharoah, Zeus and now Emperor all had the same baseline mechanics, and although they had their own theming and nuanced differences, they still mostly played the same.  Critics were not impressed.

Emperor brought along a couple of refinements in residential walls and roadblocks, but was otherwise a refinement of everything that had come before.  The real question is, is the essential gameplay here still worth experiencing?  Is putting economic supply chains together, and turning your farms on and off a meaningful experience?  Or does it all end up being a boring and repetitive exercise as you build up your city the exact same way every time?

On this episode, we discuss:

• How important is the planning phase in Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom?  What are the consequences of making mistakes in your planning, and how well can you recover from your mistakes?
• How well does Emperor communicate information to the player?  Is this yet another strategy game with a learning cliff instead of a curve, or are you able to identify where exactly problems lie in your city?
• What degree of control do you have over your city?  Are you given all the dials and knobs to tweak to achieve your desired outcome, or is it too hands off?  

We answer these questions and many more on the 75th episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

Intro Music: KieLoBot - Tanzen K

Outro Music: Rockit Maxx - One point to another

Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom OST: Jeff Van Dyck

We recently guested on the Retro Asylum Podcast where we discussed and reviewed Fallout 2!  We had a great time covering Fallout 1 with Chris on our show - and he was kind enough to return the favour for the sequel.  The episode should be dropping very shortly, so please subscribe to them for some more Fallout goodness.

Does Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom deserve its status as the best of the Impression Games’ titles?  Are there any modern games that exist as genuine spiritual successors to these games?  Was there anything about the economic management that James and Pat drastically misunderstood?  Come let us know what you think on our community discord server!