When Wanderers from Ys was first released on the Turbo Grafx-16 CD-ROM, fans were taken aback by the change in gameplay style. Why had Falcom messed with the formula? Why make it a side-scroller? Needless to say, many gamers turned their back on the game, and it remains something of the black sheep of the franchise to this day. Even with later ports to both the Genesis and SNES (as well as the MSX and even the NES), it still gets no respect. The irony is that Ys III is actually a competent little action/RPG that deserves to be played.
Year: 2006
Sega RPGs: Where’s the Respect?
For over two decades, gamers have been quick to associate anyone else but Sega with the RPG genre, citing that there were no memorable titles or laughably, that the Genesis had almost none. Were they to take a closer look, they’d see a catalogue of franchises that are not only top-tier, but also as enduring as anything the competition can muster. So why all the hate?
Divine Sealing
Hentai has been around in gaming for the longest time, but very rarely has it ever tried to go mainstream. When it does, it’s usually nothing more than a half-baked attempt at trading gameplay for some cheap T&A. Divine Sealing is one such unabashed example of a game trying to cover up its glaring faults with digital nakedness. Honestly, when nudity is no help, you know something is very, very wrong…
Preview: Burning Fists: Force Striker
After over a decade in the hands of private collectors, a new Sega CD game is about to make its debut. Burning Fists: Force Striker is currently being finished up by Good Deal Games and is slated for release at next month’s CiniClassic! To whet your appetite, Sega-16 has a full preview, including some info straight from GDG itself and even a beta video! Miss it not!
Interview: Dr. Stephen Clarke-Willson (Virgin Int. VP of Product Dev.)
During the ’90s Virgin Games was one of the premier Genesis 3rd party companies, racking up hits like Aladdin, Global Gladiators, and Cool Spot. One of the men responsible for its success was Dr. Stephen Clarke-Willson, Virgin’s former V.P. of Worldwide Product Development. From working with David Perry to the purchase of Westwood Studios, he was a key player in the company’s massive success.