The PlayStation One was the last console that I rented games for. I vaguely remember renting games for the N64, but I don’t remember enough of them to make a list. My town then had two video rental stores; one had a huge selection, and the other was Blockbuster video. I think the first wasContinue reading “My Favorite PlayStation Rental Memories”
Author Archives: Paul Werkema
A Good RPG with an Engaging Story
A story can carry a video game. Not every game needs flashy graphics to make it good. The Secret of Darkwood is one of those games where the story and quests can keep you playing. The Secret of Darkwood is an interesting RPG that feels like a Tabletop RPG. It plays like a visual novelContinue reading “A Good RPG with an Engaging Story”
A Disappointing Port of Space Invaders
Space Invaders on the Game Boy isn’t anything special. It is a port of the arcade game with a few graphical upgrades. It is a short game, and the multiplayer mode requires a second Game Boy, link cable, and cartridge. TLDR: This is a port of the arcade game from 1978 with minor graphical upgrades.Continue reading “A Disappointing Port of Space Invaders”
Doom: Endgame is a Pointless and Confusing Mess
This was terrible. Everything is needlessly complicated, and it feels like the authors tried to shoehorn another trilogy of stories into this book. Plot lines from the first three books get abandoned in favor of creating another alien enemy and cramming in nonsense. Some of my problems from the third book are fixed. We onlyContinue reading “Doom: Endgame is a Pointless and Confusing Mess”
It’s Solomon’s Key, but We Hope You Don’t Notice
Solomon’s Club is a port of Solomon’s Key. I’m not sure why the name was changed, and I can only guess that it was an attempt to create the illusion of a sequel. Solomon’s Key was ported to almost everything after its release in 1986. The Game Boy game was released in 1991 and isContinue reading “It’s Solomon’s Key, but We Hope You Don’t Notice”
The Best Arcade Football Series | Tecmo Bowl Retrospective
Tecmo Bowl is a series of six games that started in the arcades and ended on the Xbox Live arcade. These are arcade sports games that are based on American Football. They don’t try to be a realistic simulation of the sport and try to be as accessible to new players as possible. There areContinue reading “The Best Arcade Football Series | Tecmo Bowl Retrospective”
A Great History of the Late 90s and Early 2000s
There is a lot here about the marketing and licensing of Pokemon and other franchises. While the book focuses on Pokemon, other properties are brought up. Digimon and Yu-Gi-Oh! are the two big ones, but others are mentioned. I was expecting to read more about video games and the Pokemon series. That is in here,Continue reading “A Great History of the Late 90s and Early 2000s”
FUGA is One of the Best Games I’ve Played this Year
I wasn’t sure what I was getting into with Fuga: Melodies of Steel. You play as a group of children piloting a tank after their village is attacked. It seems like a war has been going on for some time, but the enemy army has advanced further than anyone had expected. It is a TacticalContinue reading “FUGA is One of the Best Games I’ve Played this Year”
Jade Cocoon is a Great PS1 RPG
Jade Cocoon is a game that I found through a video rental store called Family Video. I knew nothing about it but was interested in RPGs and took a chance. I found a spectacular RPG that felt like a cross between Princess Mononoke and Pokemon. There is more to it than that. Jade Cocoon doesContinue reading “Jade Cocoon is a Great PS1 RPG”
MK4 is Great on the Game Boy Color
This is one of those games that I’m amazed exists on the Game Boy. Mortal Kombat 4 is compatible with the original Game Boy, even if it is meant for the Game Boy Color. It won’t look as good as the Arcade or the console releases. I’m not going to hold that against it. WhatContinue reading “MK4 is Great on the Game Boy Color”