In this final part of my story and relationship with video games, we will be discussing how I really got into collecting and all of the ups and downs that came along with that. Actually I may do a Part 4 about what the future holds for me and video gaming due to the recent news about the end of physical video games. We shall see…

In Part 2, I had just entered my mid 20s. I had been working out in the real world for about 5 years. And, by and large, I was still really immersed in achievement hunting. I had a lot of games and game systems, but I still wouldn’t really have described myself as a collector at that point. Maybe “passive collector” is a good term. I wasn’t selling anything I owned and so was amassing a collection by pure osmosis…

Rocking Out

Around that time, I discovered Rock Band and Guitar Hero. This was a huge part of my life for quite a while. I spent hours on the drum set alone practicing in slow motion so that I could get through all of the songs on Expert difficulty. My friends and I had a standing Monday night Rock Band jam session for years where we would rotate instruments and belt out off key and tone deaf renditions of our favorite songs. We even tried to complete the Endless Setlist in Rock Band one weekend without stopping. I seem to recall that we may have done it, or maybe we got to the very end and choked. All I know is that fun was had and a lot of pizza was consumed.

Tying the Knot

In my late 20s, I met the person who is now my wife. Just a lovely lady all the way around, I fell hard for this girl and we were married almost exactly a year after our first official date. Forgetting video games for just a moment, it was one of the best decisions of my entire life. I would trade all that I have for her and I love her very much.

Anyway, around that time I got a PlayStation 3. Uncharted and Demon’s Souls were some of the first games I got for the system. But because I was so invested in achievements, I never really spent much time with Sony or Nintendo systems because Nintendo had no achievements system and Sony’s trophies were cool, but I was not into that ecosystem as much. Microsoft had my heart.

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Darksiders Genesis was released for PC and Google Stadia(yeah, that thing) on December 5, 2019, before coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch on February 14, 2020. Developed by Airship Syndicate and published by THQ Nordic, the game served as a prequel to the main Darksiders series.

The biggest change from the series’ previous titles was the perspective. Instead of the third-person action-adventure style of the previous games, Darksiders Genesis used a top-down action-RPG approach, making it feel a bit closer to something like Diablo while still keeping the combat, puzzles, exploration, and apocalyptic comic-book style the series is known for. It also introduced Strife, the gun-wielding fourth Horseman, as a playable character alongside our original protagonist, War. In single-player, you can swap between the two characters, while co-op allows two players to fight through the campaign together making it the first two-player co-op mode in the franchise.

Reception was generally positive. On Metacritic, the PC version holds a 77 Metascore, with the PS4 and Xbox One versions also listed at 77 and the Switch version at 74. Critics seemed to appreciate that, even with the new camera angle and structure, Genesis still felt like a real Darksiders game. The combat, art direction, and co-op were commonly praised, while some criticism was aimed at repetition, occasional clunkiness, and the fact that it was still not the long-awaited full sequel many fans were hoping for.

Reliable unit sales numbers do not appear to be publicly available, but the game seems to have performed well for THQ Nordic. Shortly after launch, Embracer Group CEO Lars Wingefors said Darksiders Genesis had a “solid performance,” was “well received,” and had exceeded his expectations after release.

What I Liked 😃

Comic Book Intros

Darksiders Genesis adds comic book-style cutscenes throughout the game. This was probably at least partly a cost-saving measure compared to producing fully rendered 3D cinematics, but honestly, I don’t see that as a negative. When done well, I’ve always appreciated this kind of presentation. It gives the game a storybook quality, almost like you’re flipping through an indie comic between missions.

It also fits Darksiders extremely well. The entire series was originally conceived by comic book artist Joe Madureira, and while the cutscene illustrations in Genesis were done by artist Ludo Lullabi, the style still feels very connected to Madureira’s influence. The characters are huge, exaggerated, and larger than life. Armor has absurd amounts of detail. Weapons look like they weigh 900 pounds, particularly War’s sword. Everything is colorful, dramatic, and slightly ridiculous in the best possible way. That has always been part of the appeal of Darksiders to me. It is not a subtle look, and it has absolutely no interest in being subtle.

The illustrations are also semi-animated, which is a fairly common approach for games that use this kind of comic book presentation. Characters slide into frame, the camera pans across the artwork, and certain effects are layered in to give the scenes some motion without turning them into full animation. It is a simple technique, but it works. It gives the game a more cinematic feeling without using more costly fully rendered cutscenes.

I think this style helps Genesis feel connected to the series despite the shift to a top-down perspective. The gameplay may look different from the previous games, but the cutscenes still have that same loud, gothic, comic book influence. They remind you that this is still a Darksiders game: demons, angels, Horsemen and crazy weapons expertly designed.

Is This Diablo?

I was shocked at how much Darksiders Genesis felt like Diablo. Actually, maybe I shouldn’t have been that shocked. The Darksiders series has always been good at borrowing bits and pieces from other genres. The first Darksiders had a lot of Zelda DNA, with dungeons, puzzles, items, and bosses. Darksiders II added more RPG elements, loot, bigger areas, and traversal that reminded me of games like Prince of Persia. Darksiders III pulled in some obvious Soulslike ideas while still hanging onto its action-adventure roots. So in that sense, the dev team looking over at Diablo and saying, “Yeah, let’s try that,” feels pretty natural for this series.

The camera angle is the first thing that makes you think of Diablo. For the first time in the series, the camera has been pulled up above the action instead of sitting behind the player in a traditional third-person view. You are no longer right behind War or Strife as they run through the world. Instead, you are looking down at the battlefield, watching enemies swarm in from different directions while attacks, bullets, explosions, and monster parts fly all over the screen.

That new perspective also changes the rhythm of combat. Earlier Darksiders games felt more like action or adventure games, where you were focused on the enemies directly in front of you. Genesis feels more like crowd control. You are constantly watching the whole arena, moving around groups of enemies, switching between War and Strife, and trying not to get boxed in. War still brings that heavy melee style, while Strife’s guns make the game feel even more like an action RPG shooter at times. It is not exactly Diablo of course, but the influence is unmistakable.

What’s interesting is that Darksiders Genesis pumped the brakes in becoming a loot-driven game in the same way Diablo is. You are not constantly picking up new helmets, boots, swords, or armor pieces every thirty seconds. Instead, the game keeps more of the traditional Darksiders structure with upgrades, creature cores, exploration, puzzles, and secrets. So while the camera angle and combat flow seem ripped from Diablo, the rest of the game still feels like Darksiders.

That is probably why the shift worked better than I expected. On paper, turning Darksiders into a top-down action game sounds like the kind of spin-off that could easily feel cheap or disconnected from the main series. But once you start playing, it makes sense. The world is still loud and over designed. The combat is still exaggerated. It may be borrowing from Diablo, but the game retains its identity throughout.

What Came Before

Another interesting thing about Darksiders Genesis is that it is actually a prequel. The game takes place before the original Darksiders, back when the Four Horsemen are still acting as enforcers for the Charred Council. That gives the story a slightly different feel from the other games. In the first Darksiders, War is trying to clear his name after being blamed for starting the apocalypse early (don’t ever start a party early, dontcha know that?). In Genesis, we see him before all of that, still loyal to the Council and still fully believing in his role as one of their instruments of balance.

This also gives the game a good excuse to finally put Strife in the spotlight. Before Genesis, Strife was the remaining Horseman we had not gotten to play as. War had the first game, Death had the second, Fury had the third, and Strife was mostly hanging around in the background of the lore waiting for his turn. Genesis finally gives him that chance, even if he has to share the spotlight with War.

Strife is another distinct character in a series that has done a pretty good job making each Horseman feel different. War is exactly what his name suggests. He is serious, direct, loyal, and usually solves problems by hitting them with a sword the size of a dinner table. Strife, on the other hand, is quicker, louder, and more sarcastic. He fights with guns, moves with more agility, and brings a different kind of tone to the story. War feels like a walking fortress. By contrast, Strife feels more like the guy who kicks open the door, makes a joke, and starts shooting before anyone has finished their speech. He’s kind of a Nathan Drake type if Nathan Drake was a Nephilim turned Horseman.

That contrast is one of the best parts of the game. War and Strife are both Horsemen, but they do not approach things the same way at all. War is stern and duty-bound, while Strife is more willing to question things, make comments, and poke at the cracks in whatever grand cosmic nonsense they have been dragged into. Their back-and-forth helps give Genesis more personality than I expected. Since the game uses a top-down perspective and comic-style cutscenes, it could have easily felt smaller or less important than the mainline entries, but the dynamic between War and Strife gives it a lot of character.

What I Didn’t Like ☹️

Dashing is Broken

One of my biggest frustrations with Darksiders Genesis was the dash. In a game with this much combat, crowd control, and arena-style enemy encounters, movement needs to feel sharp and snappy. Unfortunately, the dash never felt as responsive or reliable as I wanted it to be. There were plenty of moments where I felt like I should have been able to dodge out of danger, only for my character to still get clipped by an attack anyway.

Part of the issue may come from the game’s top-down perspective. In a traditional third-person action game, it is usually easier to judge where an enemy attack is coming from and where your character is moving. In Genesis, the camera sits farther away from the action, so dodging can sometimes feel less precise. You see the attack coming, you hit the dash button, and then somehow you still take damage. Maybe the timing window is stricter than it looks. Maybe the hitboxes are larger than they appear. Either way, the end result is the same: it does not always feel fair.

I do not think this ruins the game, but it does make combat feel messier than it should. Darksiders Genesis has a lot going for it: the combat is flashy, the characters are fun, and the Diablo-inspired perspective mostly works. But when movement feels unreliable, it takes away from the satisfaction. A game like this lives and dies by how good it feels to move, attack, dodge, and recover. Unfortunately, sometimes the movement doesn’t feel good and it can get frustrating quickly.

Who is War?

As alluded to above, you can play as either War or Strife, being able to swap between them pretty much at any time. When you aren’t playing the other character, they are held in reserve and can recover some lost health over time. As much as I love the design and attitude of War, I found myself preferring Strife almost all of the time.

The big reason is that Strife is much more effective from long range and he’s quicker. So, I could stay back away from hordes of enemies and take them out from a safe distance rather than rushing with War and crushing skulls. While I didn’t mind this choice, I did think it a little disappointing that there weren’t more sections that required the use of War or Strife exclusively in order to give players a time box to play as one or the other. On paper, the game is clearly built around switching often between characters, but in actuality I only switched when Strife’s health was running low.

Lore is Key

Even though Genesis is a prequel, I think the game wouldn’t have been as enjoyable if I hadn’t played Darksiders I - III first. Darksiders Genesis is steeped in lore and characters from the previous games and you as the player will benefit greatly if the other games are under your belt.

For instance, War and Strife are sent on a mission by the Charred Council. The Council at the time of Genesis have no ulterior motive (that we know of) but having played the other games, every decision they make is questioned and scrutinized.

Other returning characters include: Samael, Vulgrim, Lilith and Abaddon. Those names carry much more weight if you have already seen where some of them end up later. Samael and Vulgrim especially feel like Darksiders mainstays at this point. Samael is once again powerful, manipulative and clearly juggling many different balls in the air, while Vulgrim is still the same old shady demon merchant who always seems to know more than he lets on.

This lore context also helps with Strife. Up until now, he hasn’t gotten hardly any of the spotlight. The game finally gives him room to co-exist with the others but this works better if you already understand the Horseman and what their motives and personalities are.

So, while I don’t think playing Darksiders I-III is required before playing Genesis, I do think it improves the experience. On its own, Genesis is a fine top down action game. But with lore in hand, it becomes a little more interesting.

Overall Thoughts 🤔

Darksiders Genesis is a tough game to reckon with. On the one hand, it feels almost like a spin-off due to the massive camera angle shift to top down. There are some critical traversal mechanics like the dash that I think could have been implemented better. The two character system is a neat concept but during my playthrough I found myself sticking to just Strife if possible.

But on the other hand, this is exactly what I would expect from the developers of Darksiders. They have always taken chances and were never restricted to a single genre. And, for the most part, they’ve always managed to make fun and interesting games. Genesis is no exception. The game has wonderfully illustrated comic book cutscenes and the gameplay is fun and unique to the series. This is a prequel and so we get to see more of how things led up to the apocalypse and the breaking of the world. And of course we get to finally play as the snarky and more comedic Strife. Whether you’re a diehard fan or just looking to dip your toes into the series, I think Darksiders Genesis is certainly worth your time.

Where Can I Play This? 🕹️

Darksiders Genesis is still widely accessible to play in 2026. It can be played on PC through Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store, as well as on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.

The PlayStation version is also playable on PS5 through backward compatibility, and the Switch version is listed as compatible with Nintendo Switch 2. The only major version lost to time is the Stadia release, since Google shut that service down in 2023.

I played Darksiders Genesis physically on the PlayStation 4. I rolled credits on the story. There was some side content and collectibles like getting all the Boatman Coins and Trickster Keys. I finished some of these but didn’t care to get every single thing.

Up Next 📅

This is a big one guys! Spoilers, I loved it. Up next I’m playing the brilliant Chrono Trigger inspired RPG Sea of Stars!

Check out this software I created. It’s called GameShelf and it’s basically like a book club but for video games. Get some friends or family, create an account and start playing video games together. You can chat about the game, track your progress, rank the video games you’ve played and more! Use coupon code NERDCENTRAL to get a free month: https://gameshelf.live

I wasn’t planning on writing this post. Or, to put it another way, I wasn’t planning on writing this article so soon. But here we are, on July 1, 2026 and I am writing this sentence: Sony announced that they will no longer produce physical game discs after January 2028. All games after this point will be available digitally on the PlayStation Store or at retailers via a digital download code presumably inside a box, but maybe not.

I would like to just outline some of the many problems that present itself with this decision. To be clear, this is only a good thing for Sony. Actually, it might not be a good thing for Sony if their consumers decide to vote with their wallet. But certainly, as a video gamer, this is not good for anyone even if you aren’t a physical media person. What follows is nothing that hasn’t been said by more popular outlets and probably more articulately.

Obviously the first concern is the conclusion of physical game media. As many of you know, I am a physical media guy. And I know many of you on here are as well. I love hunting down a physical copy of a game, getting a good deal, opening the box, inserting the cartridge or disc into the system, listening to the physical parts whirr and boot up. It’s a wonderful experience. While I have continued to buy modern physical media, I am not ignorant to the fact that a lot of games nowadays do not contain the entire game on the disc or cartridge. Us physical media people have just had to live with that fact, but at least some of the game is on the media and at least we have a physical cart or disc to point to on our shelves. But that is about to end. No longer will you be able to get a better deal on the secondary market. No longer will you be able to sell or trade your game to someone or to a third party reseller. No longer will you be able to showcase the fantastic artwork that is created for some of these games and have them on your shelf. I have seen some say, “well, movies and music did this a long time ago and everything is fine”. But that’s not entirely true. Yes, music and movies are primarily distributed in digital form. But, companies still produce Blu-Ray/4K movies. Music companies still produce CDs. And I’m not talking about Criterion. Brand new movies have physical releases. Heck, vinyl records have made a comeback! Why? Because they understand the value of having options for their consumers, something that Sony is apparently forgetting or deciding to overlook.

The next, likely more impactful concern to all gamers, is ownership. Let me be clear: if you are buying digital games on consoles, you DO NOT OWN THEM. You may think you do because so far (for the most part) you have been able to re-download those games anytime you want. But, as we have seen with Nintendo’s closure of their old eShops, Sony taking away 500+ movies and shows from Studio Canal as well as them shuttering the Vita and PS3 stores it is very clear that you are only renting or leasing the game you purchase digitally. Some of you may say, so what? I play a game and when I’m done with it, I do not return to it ever. And that may be fine for you and that’s great. But there are a lot of people want to own their games. They like to re-play games just like they re-watch shows or re-listen to music. Or maybe they want to share the game experience with a friend or a family member. I have two kids that I am currently trying to expose to classic games for example. In a few years, if I want to show them Uncharted for example and I didn’t have a physical copy, there would be no way to play that game if there’s no digital option. It’s is no longer an option unless the digital store company re-releases the game on a newer version of said store. And in that case, they will most likely not be giving it to you for free, you will have to pay for it again to “own” it again(aka rent it). Which means more money for the game company and more money out of pocket for the consumer for a game you should have already owned to begin with. Digital rights ownership has been a problem for a long time, but while console makers were manufacturing discs and carts, it was a problem we had time to solve in a way. We should not be doing this until there is a solid agreement on ownership of digital content.

Then there’s the issue of options. You thought games were expensive now, wait until you can only buy PlayStation games on a singular digital store that is owned by Sony. Sony controls the pricing, there will no longer be a secondary market and so they will decide when there will be a deal. Again, Nintendo has sort-of set some precedence here in that they rarely discount their games. They can’t control the secondary market, but they can decide when new games get discounts and when their digital offerings get discounts. And when it happens it is rare and the discount is not that great. Console makers would love to have a singular place for you to purchase their games. They make more money because they are charging more. And since there is no secondary market, they are making even more because a 1-2 year old game will be purchased through their store instead of off WhatNot or Ebay. Third party games stand to gain from this as well. We may see more discounts from third parties but they also will be raking in more cash due to the elimination of the secondary market so why offer a ton of discounts?

This was more of a rant than an organized article. But I wanted to get my thoughts out there and do my part in making people at least consider what is happening right now and the ramifications. Maybe we are all over-reacting but seems like this can only be a bad thing for us gamers. But just remember, these are massive companies and their primary goal in life is to make money. That being said, I’d love to hear other opinions. I’ve also posted a chat thread for my paid subscribers to discuss if you want to chat over there. Back to regularly scheduled programming on Monday, hope to see you there!

If you want to voice your opinion, you can fill out this petition at Change.org: https://c.org/L6JZRxwD

When we last left off, I was graduating high school and setting off to be a “responsible” adult in college. The college I attended was about an hour and a half from my home town. I won’t lie I was scared out of my wits. For the first month or so, I was pretty homesick. Instead of the comfort and familiarity of my parent’s home, I was stuck in a dorm room the size of a closet with no private bathroom. I had to take showers with a bunch of other dudes and avoid clumps of hair in the sinks. It was a fairly miserable time, I must be honest.

Starting College Life

I also didn’t have many friends in college to start out. I knew some kids from high school who were attending the same college so I spent most of my time around them. But, they weren’t necessarily the best influence and my grades started to slip. I had a good scholarship during my first year and ended up losing it, meaning I was now responsible for paying my tuition on my own. Upon reflection, I think it was a combination of my anxiety toward college in general and my study habits - or lack thereof - because I spent a lot of time at parties and doing…. party things.

Another thing that both helped and hurt the college experience was video games. I of course brought my PlayStation 2 with me to school. There wasn’t room for everything I owned, so I picked the newest system I had along with most of my PS1 and PS2 games. Instead of studying or worrying about trying to shower without some random guy being in the same bathroom with me, I would immerse myself in Final Fantasy Tactics or Suikoden III or Disgaea. I had really gotten into JRPGs and Strategy RPGs during this time and I loved the art style along with the game mechanics and storylines. But, this also meant I didn’t devote as much time as I should have to my school work. But, I was doing much better on that front than my freshman year.

There was a mall in the city and so I regularly visited EB Games and then later Gamestop when EB went under. This was a treat because my home town had nothing like this. A video game store devoted to video games? I loved it so much that I ended up eventually getting a job at the Gamestop during my Junior year of college. It was not as glamorous as I thought it would be but I did get to stock shelves and alphabetize them which meant I spent a lot of time looking at video game artwork.

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Batman Returns was released for the Super Nintendo in 1993, following Tim Burton’s 1992 film of the same name. Developed and published by Konami, the SNES version was not a direct port of the other Batman Returns games released around the same time. Like many licensed games from that era, different platforms received very different versions, with the Genesis and Sega CD games taking a more action-platforming approach while the SNES game leaned fully into the side-scrolling beat ’em up genre.

That decision ended up working in the game’s favor. Rather than making Batman hop around like a standard platforming hero ala Mario, Konami built the game around Batman doing what Batman does best: stalking the streets of Gotham and beating criminals into the pavement with his fists and wonderful toys. The game sort-of follows the events of the film by the same name, sending Batman against the Red Triangle Circus Gang, Catwoman, and the Penguin, all while capturing the snowy, gothic atmosphere of the movie.

The SNES version of Batman Returns was generally well received and is still often remembered as one of the better Batman games of the 16-bit era. Its large sprites, moody visuals, music inspired by Danny Elfman’s score, and satisfying combat helped it stand apart from many movie tie-in games of the time. Reliable sales numbers for the SNES version do not appear to be publicly available, but the film itself was a major release, which helps explain why so many versions of the game were made across different platforms. For a licensed game from the early ’90s, Batman Returns on the SNES doesn’t feel quite like a complete cash grab because at the time Konami could really do no wrong.

What I Liked 😃

A Fun Beat ‘em Up

Batman Returns should be the blueprint for how a beat ‘em up can be done. The controls are smooth, the contact with an enemy feels good and fists hitting faces sounds great. But above all, the different ways you can take out an enemy is so impressive.

Firstly, there’s the standard melee move set. This is Batman’s punch combo and is fairly effective on its own. But for variety, there’s so much more. He has a cape sweep that shoves Batman’s cape in enemy faces, dealing damage. He has a flying jump kick and a flying attack in which he glides toward enemies to take them down.

Then there are the grabs. When Batman picks up an enemy he can perform several takedown moves: a standard attack where he holds an enemy and punches them in the gut, a head toss where Batman picks an enemy up and slams them into the ground, a special toss that has Batman throw an enemy backward into a window or fence which is reminiscent of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle arcade games and finally the double whammy in which Batman takes two bad guys and butts their heads together.

Finally, there are Batman’s gadgets. He has the iconic Batarangs that he can sling at people. This is good for long range attacks. The spear gun is mainly useful for traversal but it does allow Batman to kick enemies as well. Being the prepared detective that he is, Batman also has prepared some chemical vials that he can throw down, damaging all enemies on screen.

Compared to other beat ‘em ups of the time, Batman has way more moves than any of them and more ways to dispatch enemies is always welcome. Basically, if you are getting tired of wailing on enemies one way, there’s always another option to keep the combat fresh and fun.

I’m Batman

Licensed video games based on films can certainly be hit or miss. Some games don’t feel like the property they are trying to mimic at all like Cliffhanger or Home Alone. Others nail it right on the head. Batman Returns is definitely the latter.

From the Danny Elfman inspired music to the dark setting of the stages, you couldn’t ask for a more respectful recreation of Tim Burton’s Batman in the 90s. The game evokes both the dark tone and the campy-ness of the films, a line that Tim Burton was able to straddle so well. And through it all, you ARE Batman and are taking on the villainy brought on by the Penguin and his henchmen. Konami even took it upon themselves to digitize Michael Keaton, Michelle Pfieffer and Danny de Vito which was a nice touch. Sad about no Christopher Walken but we can’t have everything, can we? I have to also mention the moments where you get to drive the Batmobile which could be one of my favorite moments in the game. Navigating the mean streets of Gotham and getting to blow up enemies while in the Batmobile is one of those childhood dreams simply because the Batmobile always looked so darn cool.

What I Didn’t Like ☹️

Ever Dance With the Devil in the Pale Moonlight?

The boss fights are true to their movie counterparts visually (for the most part), but that doesn’t mean they were easy. I found several of the boss battles to be pretty challenging and frustrating. The first Penguin fight in particular stands out, with him flying across the screen, dropping explosive umbrellas, and attacking from awkward angles. Catwoman’s first fight can also be frustrating thanks to her fast movement and hard-to-avoid attacks. None of these bosses ruin the game as a whole, but they do cause some friction against the satisfying experience of Batman grabbing street thugs and slamming them into nearby walls. We want a challenge in our games, but we also still want to feel like we are Batman and I think the game fails in a few spots in that regard.

Taking It From All Sides 😳

Very suspicious title I know, but it perfectly describes the problem this game has as do most beat ‘em ups. The potential to get flanked by enemies and “pinned” in and take a ton of damage is high and it’s probably my biggest pet peeve of the entire genre. I want to be able to be Batman and be cool, but I don’t feel cool when my head is being bashed in by a bunch of hooligans and I can’t get out of a flank. This happened to me more than once and every time it was frustrating. I will say in Batman Returns I wasn’t flanked as much as games like the Golden Axe series for example, but it was still present.

Overall Thoughts 🤔

Batman Returns is probably one of the best beat ‘em up games ever made. It is certainly one of my favorites of the games I’ve played. It probably doesn’t eclipse the Turtles games but it definitely deserves to stand amongst those. The visual style of Tim Burton’s Batman Returns is intact and the combat is fun and varied. I loved beating up bad guys to the tune of Elfman and getting to drive the Batmobile, however short-lived, was a blast. I think some of the boss fights are frustrating and the classic dying from enemy flanking is unfortunately alive and well in this game. But I don’t think Batman Returns should be missed for those minor flaws. Get out there and be Batman!

Where Can I Play This? 🕹️

In 2026, Batman Returns on the SNES remains trapped in time. It has not been re-released on modern platforms or added to any digital storefront, so playing it today generally means tracking down an original cartridge or using emulation. Like many licensed games from the 16-bit era, it seems to be stuck between nostalgia and rights issues, waiting for someone to light the Bat Signal once again.

I played Batman Returns physically on the SNES. I beat the game. There’s not much in the way of collectibles or side content and once you’ve played it once, there’s not any tangible reason to go back except to have fun as Batman again.

Up Next 📅

Up next, we’re finishing the Darksiders series (for now) with the odd but interesting Darksiders: Genesis!

I realized a few weeks ago that I have never really discussed my 30-ish year history with video games and how I got into them. Sure, I’ve talked a little bit about some memories with particular games, but never really done a deep dive. So I thought I would do that today. This will be a multi part series broken up into “eras” if you will, thanks Taylor Swift. I plan to chronicle everything from the very beginning. I hope you all enjoy and can relate to some of it.

My First Intro to Video Games

The year was 1990. I was either 7 going on 8 or I was already 8, I can’t remember. I had a cousin who I was always pretty close to. We were only a year apart in age and lived near each other. At some point my aunt and uncle and cousin moved to Iowa. He was a big nerd at 8 or 9 just as I would become in a few short years. I wouldn’t classify myself at 8 years old as a nerd. At the time, I enjoyed more outdoor activities such as basketball and playing outside in general. We always had animals around the house so I would go outside and play with dogs, cats, chickens, rabbits, turkeys, etc.

I remember one summer, my aunt and uncle traveled from Iowa to visit. My cousin brought his NES. What was this contraption that plugged into a television? It’s possible I already knew what it was since I remember spending a lot of time perusing the Sears catalog that we would get in the mail. But even still, I was amazed. My cousin had Kung Fu and Gyromite with R.O.B the Robot and he brought R.O.B along as well. I’m sure my parents were not happy with me, because all I wanted to do was play those games instead of visiting with family who traveled 12+ hours to see us. How in the world could something like this exist in the world? How did this actual Robot work? What was this amazing side scroller where you get to beat up bad guys? These are the questions that permeated my brain and I’m not sure I really knew the answer then.

Christmas and the NES

The fated day finally arrived one Christmas, possibly 1991. I opened my gifts and lo and behold the NES console box was staring me in the face. I couldn’t believe it. The system came with the console, Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt and a Zapper. For a good while there, all I was playing was Super Mario Bros and Duck Hunt because I loved it but also we couldn’t afford new games all the time. I figured out on my own where the warp pipes were in Mario and also figured out by accident how to get infinite lives by continually jumping on a Koopa shell on a specific set of stairs. In Duck Hunt, I figured out you could use a NES controller and direct the ducks, making it easier to hit them. I of course did this maliciously with my little brother so he couldn’t shoot the ducks.

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Mega Man 11 released on October 2, 2018 in North America and Europe, and October 4, 2018 in Japan, launching on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC. Rather than going back to the 8-bit well of Mega Man 9 and 10, Capcom gave this one a more modern and brighter 2.5D presentation and built it around the new Double Gear System, which let Mega Man temporarily boost his power or slow down time.

Critically, the game was received well overall, with the PlayStation 4 version posting a Metascore of 82 on Metacritic, which is thought to be generally favorable. A lot of the praise centered on how well the game balanced old-school challenge with newer ideas, while some criticism was aimed at difficulty spikes and a few overly long or frustrating stages. It sounded like Capcom mostly got the third comeback right, even if the game still had a few bits of classic Mega Man unfairness within.

Sales-wise, Mega Man 11 did quite well. Capcom reported 870,000 copies sold by the end of December 2018, and its current Platinum Titles page lists it at 2.20 million units sold. That is a pretty decent sales number for this franchise and a good sign that the Blue Bomber still had plenty of life left in him, even after all those years. This however did not prevent Capcom from squandering the good will and hype as they would not try to release another Mega Man game for 9 years.

What I Liked 😁

Visual Style

I did not think I would enjoy the new visual style of Mega Man 11 compared to the previous iterations. Mega Man 1-6 and 9 and 10 had an 8-bit style that just felt like classic Mega Man. Mega Man 7 and 8 went for a more 16-bit style that I really enjoyed despite not liking those games as much. Mega Man 11 takes a risk and eschews both styles for a more polished look. It is a kind of 2.5D perspective with lots of depth in found in the levels, particularly in the backgrounds. Capcom had tried changing the visual style of Mega Man over the years, more specifically with the Mega Man X series and it didn’t always work out in my opinion.

I found the new look to be pretty pleasing to the eye. Everything is colorful, it’s easy to discern objects in both the foreground and background. The particle effects really make powers and skills pop off the screen. With the introduction of the Double Gear system, the slow down and speed up effects add a very subtle change to the visuals. Every attack feels chunky and impactful with all of the effects going off and it was really fun to see.

The visual style is also used in the cutscenes when more traditional anime-style artwork isn’t used. The new look doesn’t get in the way of the tight controls and gameplay either, which was a very welcome discovery. I was very afraid the gameplay would suffer with the changes, but I don’t recall any instance where this was the case.

Robot Master Powers

In Mega Man 11, Mega Man’s new powers actually changes the entire look of his outfit! Rather than a simple color palette swap of the older games, his suit changes from his helmet to his boots. With Acid Man’s suit, Mega Man has a helmet that covers his face that is attached to a breathing apparatus. His arm cannon is now loaded with nasty green acid. With Block Man’s suit, Mega Man has a blocky arm cannon and his helmet is again changed. Fuse Man’s suit has 2 large electrodes sticking out of the helmet and the arm cannon has 2 spikes on the end. I know it took more work from the art department to incorporate this change but it’s fun to actually see Mega Man look differently based on the power he wants to use.

I also think the powers themselves were pretty inventive. Block Man’s power literally throws a ton of blocks from the sky onto enemies. Acid Man’s power wraps Mega Man in a protective acid bubble and he shoots acid from his arm cannon. Fuse Man’s power shoots electricity all along the floor but also travels up walls and along platforms as long as they are connected to the wall. In addition, each power has an “alternate fire” of sorts when Mega Man uses the Double Gear system. Mega Man’s powers are a huge part of the formula for enjoyment in the series, so I was happy to see that this game had some unique powers.

Fuse Man

Fuse Man’s stage immediately starts strong. In the background, there are electricity towers against a cloudy and dark background. Every so often electricity sparks or travels between them. It’s very visually striking (pardon the pun) compared to the more colorful levels. The level itself was just challenging enough that I had to pay attention but could also marvel at the visuals and effects. There were some fun sections of this stage where Mega Man has to slide through a narrow opening while lighting is blasting down upon him. Not much else to say here, Fuse Man’s stage really stuck out to me amongst the others.

What I Didn’t Like ☹️

Not Much Strategy

I felt like the old formula of a specific weapon working against a specific Robot Master didn’t really apply in Mega Man 11. While certain Masters may be weaker against a particular weapon power, I found myself using my favorite weapon in combination with the Double Gear System to perform more powerful versions of the weapon. And, by and large, this worked perfectly fine. I don’t recall any other Mega Man up to this point in which I didn’t use the best weapon on the correct boss. Maybe I’m just a Mega Man pro at this point (not likely) or maybe I got lucky (probably). I put this in the didn’t like section because I enjoyed that discovery of figuring out which weapon worked best on which boss, and I kind of missed it this time around.

Acid and Flame

Some of the most frustrating stages of this game have to be Acid Man and Flame Man’s stages.

Acid Man’s stage has what you’d expect: acid. And lots of it. There are these harmless pools of colored water. There are also enemies who look like robotic syringes. They will spit out acid and if enough of it lands in the pools, the water becomes acidic and damages Mega Man if he steps into it. What you may not expect are the sheer amount of spikes on top of the water based physics that will sometimes push or pull Mega Man, making it even more challenging to navigate the stage. Add on top of this a particularly nasty section where you have to expertly jump in between some spikes using the Double Gear system, and you’ve got yourself a hair pulling stage.

And then there’s Flame Man’s stage, the worst offender. The stage has Mega Man running away from a gigantic wall of flame. That wouldn’t be bad itself, but it is combined with Mega Man navigating some tricky jumps and winding paths all while fending off enemies, some of which are armored and won’t go down in a single hit.

Overall Thoughts 🤔

Mega Man 11 is a visual spectacle. I really liked the colorful, particle effect heavy look of this game that still utilizes the classic art style of Akira Kitamura. While some of the stages are annoying and too long, they are all beautiful. The weapon powers pop off the screen and I thought most of them were pretty inventive. The classic Mega Man gameplay is intact and the music is pretty good. The looming issue that taints this game really has nothing to do with the game itself and more of the handling of the franchise. 12 years between the release of Mega Man 8 and 9. 8 years between the release of Mega Man 10 and 11. And now, another 9 years between Mega Man 11 and Dual Override. Let’s get it together Capcom, okay? Your audience is going to die of old age before you release Mega Man 13 and 14.

Where Can I Play This? 🕹️

Being a 2018 release, Mega Man 11 is very accessible to play today. Mega Man 11 is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows PC via Steam so get out there and give this one a go ahead of Dual Override.

I played Mega Man 11 on the Nintendo Switch. I beat the game and defeated You Know Who for the 11th time.

Up Next 🗓️

In two weeks, I’m headed in to Beat ‘em Up territory with one of the classics, Batman Returns for the SNES!

The Catalyst

I was trying to think of something to write about recently. Should it be something silly? Should I talk about another game in my collection? Should I delve down the rabbit hole that is another “Origins Of” post? I was recently on a relaxing vacation and I came to the realization that not many days go by without hearing about another game studio shuttering or downsizing or laying off a number of their employees. That was when I figured I’d use my Gaming Nitpicks category to vent and rant about this a little bit, coming from the perspective of a retro gamer and someone who manages a business.

I do want to preface this with the following: my knowledge of how the video game industry works from a business perspective is very high level. What I will discuss here is based on my own feelings and sense about the industry as a fan of gaming and as someone who has played games for about 33 years. I know times are challenging and there’s no simple solution.

Layoffs are the New Normal

So, I’m sure if you are a fan of games, you’ve perused Kotaku or IGN or Substacks such as that do gaming news reporting. More often than not you will find an article about a company laying off folks or a studio shutting down. Maybe even a larger conglomerate like Microsoft shutting down a studio they paid a lot of money for. We live in a time where this is normal and that sucks, to put it mildly. It feels like with every new positive gaming article, one about someone losing their job swiftly follows to bring the reader back down to reality.

Money Behind the Madness

Why are these companies constantly doing this? To add insult to injury, sometimes the same companies perform multiple rounds of layoffs within a short period of time. Is it because the gaming executives, the financial officers are incompetent? Are they evil and heartless? From the outside looking in, the answer sometimes feels like a Yes to both and I’ve read pieces from outlets trying to purport that one or both are true.

But the reality is much less interesting most likely. Like it or not, video games are a business more than they have ever been. The product the businesses are selling is a video game and the profit is money. With games like Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty and Assassins Creed, the profit is massive. However, with the invent of successful live service and multiplayer games like Fortnite and Apex Legends, the potential profit becomes astronomical. Exact profit numbers aren’t disclosed but Fortnite has reportedly made $26 BILLION dollars1 since it launched. Apex Legends? Well only a measly $3.4 BILLION dollars2 since 2019. So, you can see that some games make money and lots of it. But, not every game is the same and not every game makes billions of dollars. Especially not curated and immersive single player experiences. The real money lies elsewhere.

Chasing the Jackpot

Looking into the announcements from studios and companies that perform these layoffs and shutterings, their reasoning generally is “adopting a new posture to keep up with current market conditions”. The company Iron Galaxy - the studio that has helped with the development of games such as The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered on PC, developed Pro Stater 3+4, and helped with the original Borderlands - just announced that they were doing a second round of layoffs for this very reason. What are these “current market conditions” that game companies are chasing? I will tell you what I think. Remember this is my opinion.

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Final Fantasy VI, released as Final Fantasy III on the SNES in North America, first launched in Japan in April 1994 and reached the U.S. in October 1994, arriving late in the Super Nintendo’s life but making a pretty immediate case for itself as one of the system’s crown jewels. Developed by Square, it pushed the series further toward a bigger ensemble cast, a more cinematic story, and a world that mixed fantasy with machinery in a way that felt both strange and cool. Instead of building everything around one hero, Final Fantasy VI spread the spotlight across a large cast of characters, which gave the game a broader, more epic feel than a lot of RPGs of the era. It was also the last mainline Final Fantasy built around 2D sprite work, ending a beloved era for the series.

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Critically, the game was met with widespread acclaim. Reviewers at the time praised its graphics, music, emotional storytelling, and the sheer scale of the adventure, with Electronic Gaming Monthly giving it multiple 1994 awards including Best Role Playing Game, while GamePro called attention to how well its characters, plotlines, and branching scenarios all came together. Over the years, that reputation has only grown, and Final Fantasy VI is still regularly treated as not just one of the best entries in the series, but one of the defining JRPGs of the 16-bit era.

Sales-wise, the game was a success, despite not knowing exact sales figures. It was reportedly the best-selling video game in Japan in 1994, and by March 2003 the SNES and PlayStation 1 versions had shipped 3.48 million copies worldwide, with 2.62 million of those in Japan and 860,000 overseas. So while Final Fantasy VI may not have hit the ridiculously huge numbers of some later entries (Final Fantasy VII), it absolutely performed well and has long since earned its place as one of the most beloved games Square ever made.

What I Liked 😁

Narrative Worthy of a Bard

Personally, Final Fantasy VI holds a special place in my heart despite never having rolled credits as a kid. I’ve talked about this in some of my paid posts, but I spent a lot of time with my cousin as a kid. He had all the cool stuff: a computer that ran Window 95 (woah!) with tons of games and a SNES. I was a Genesis kid and so I had to get my fill of Nintendo RPGs at his house. Along with other single player only games like Chrono Trigger, we would take turns playing the games and it was a blast.

Fast forward to now and I have finished the game and I am so happy that I got the chance to do so. Not only to fulfill my childhood desires, but to experience the game and its wonderful story. Be warned, I am going to be gushing all over this game similarly to my Final Fantasy IX post.

Even if Square Enix made total garbage games for the rest of the time we have left on this Earth, their work on Final Fantasy VI would still keep them at the top of the list of the best JRPG game developers of all time. Their ability to get so much comedy and sadness and joy out of a 2D sprite based video game is monumental to say the least. Okay, I’m rambling, let’s add some structure.

What is the story of Final Fantasy VI? Well, to keep it concise, Final Fantasy VI is a story about a world where magic used to flourish. There was a war and after the war, magic was nowhere to be found. Fast forward quite a long time and magic is now considered a legend or myth. The world, now filled with technology and science instead of magic, is essentially controlled by one empire who has somehow discovered a way to harness this legendary magic. The story begins for the player with a mysterious girl in a mech suit and a group of rebels who are fighting this mighty empire. The game’s story expands from there and takes you on an adventure with a huge cast of characters.

The story is not just about good versus evil. That would be too simple for a Final Fantasy game of this caliber. No, the story touches on the obvious resisting of tyranny but also confronting despair, finding hope after loss and the existential question of what is the meaning of life if the world is in ruin. All of these themes are conveyed through the myriad of characters that the player gets to play as and interact with. Let’s touch on some of those now.

Warning, there could be spoilers.

Terra is the first character we meet. She is being controlled by the Empire via a device that was put on her head. It turns out that Terra is human but also part Esper. The Empire discovers that Espers are the source of the lost magic in the world. Terra spends the game trying to figure out why she is different and coping with her differences along with finding friendship and love.

Cyan is a mighty knight of the kingdom of Doma. Cyan’s kingdom and entire family is destroyed at the hands of the Empire. Cyan’s story is dark but through that darkness, he discovers the will to survive and cope with survivors guilt.

Shadow is a mysterious assassin who looks like Snake Eyes from G.I. Joe. He is a silent character and seems motivated mainly by money. As the game unfolds, it becomes clear that he is haunted by his past identity as a man named Clyde and by the people he failed.

That is only three of the characters and there are many more who have just as interesting backgrounds and stories, if not more. I also appreciated that there are NPCs who have arcs that are sometimes just as complex as our main crew. There are characters who are working for the Empire but struggle with the actions being taken. It brings a realism to the game: just because you are on the “wrong” side doesn’t mean you are evil. Things such as loyalty, fear and love can cloud thoughts and affect decisions.

The Espers

Not much to say here except that I really enjoyed the concept of the Espers, a race of beings who used to live alongside humans but were forced to seal themselves in another realm after the War of the Magi. They are the catalyst for the story as The Empire has figured out that the Espers exist and where they are located. With their magic, The Empire is able to build Magitek weapons and bend the world to their will. It’s a tragic story because not only are the Espers discovered, but they are killed and forced to give up their power in order to be used for evil.

Unique Skills

The story is great, yes. The characters are interesting and deep, sure. But what about the gameplay? Well, it’s great too! Specifically, the variety of unique skills each character possesses, making them stand out instead of feeling like a palette swap. Cyan is a blade master and so he can “charge” up his attack to perform different abilities. Edgar, one of my favorites, can use tools which range from crossbows, chainsaws and a gun that shoots this green poisonous goo. Setzer has a Slots ability in which you literally run a game of slots to see what he will do on his turn. It’s random but also super fun. Relm has an ability called Sketch that can be used to copy enemy attacks.

It’s super fun to use these abilities throughout the game and keeps the typical RPG grind from feeling so grind-y. But at the same time, each skill makes sense for the characters based on who they are and where their strengths lie. Locke has the Steal ability because he’s a thief. Terra can tap into her Esper abilities with Morph. And Shadow can Throw shuriken and swords at his enemies. You won’t see Terra stealing anything and you won’t see Shadow casting a Fire spell and that is how it should be.

Music

Maybe more than any other Final Fantasy, the music track of the game is nearly ubiquitous to video gamers. That’s because it’s some of the best video game music to ever be created. Terra’s Theme alone was enough to put the game in the upper echelon of game music. But aside from that, there’s Aria di Mezzo Carattere, the music that is played during the Opera section and Dancing Mad, Kefka’s theme. That’s just three of the tracks that a lot of people (including myself) think are some of the best. But the entirety of the game’s music is full of solid music that people listen to outside of the game. If you haven’t played the game and don’t have the time, at least go to YouTube or Spotify or some other music service and give it a listen.

What I Didn’t Like ☹️

Coliseum and The Veldt

Probably the worst parts of the game by far, the Coliseum and the Veldt are two odd areas that are grind heavy and start to lose their appeal quickly.

The Veldt is a required area where the party recruits Gau, the little feral boy who can learn other enemies abilities. The Veldt is a section of the map that, when you are on it, the party doesn’t gain experience. This is also where Gau can learn new monster abilities. When in an encounter, Gau can leap into an enemy. Once that is done, Gau is no longer in your party until you encounter that enemy again, then he leaps out and he has learned a new ability. It’s a cool concept and at first it’s pretty fun. But if you want to use Gau as an effective character, you’ll be spending a lot of time in the Veldt, far past the required amount of time for the story progression. After the 30th time of doing this, it starts to become a real grind.

The Coliseum thankfully isn’t required at all. But it is a place to get some good gear and so it is appealing. At the Coliseum, the player offers up an item. They then choose a character. After that, they enter the Coliseum battle but the player has no control over the fight. It’s completely automatic and purely random. If the battle is lost, the player loses the item and doesn’t win a prize. If the battle is won, then they STILL lose the item they selected at the start but win the prize. Losing an item in addition to the randomness is such an odd choice especially when compared to the rest of the game that feels meticulously created and - for the most part - player friendly.

Overall Thoughts 🤔

Final Fantasy VI, depending on who you ask, is the epitome of Final Fantasy games. It may have been the swan song of the 2D sprite based iterations of the series, but it certainly went out with a bang. It has some of the best music in video games, the characters are interesting and have depth. The story is filled with themes about loss, greed, tyranny and existential crisis. Characters truly go on a journey, and not all together. I didn’t even mention that the characters split up several times to perform their goals, which is super cool. It has some of the most fun turn based gameplay in the series. Only in the Veldt and the Coliseum do I feel that the game feels less than perfect. Otherwise, this game is perfect. There I said it.

Where Can I Play This? 🕹️

The very best way to play Final Fantasy VI today is via the Final Fantasy Pixel Remastered Collection. The development team have done a great job of not touching most of what is great about the game but also adding in little touches like improved particle effects and quality of life upgrades.

I played Final Fantasy VI via the Final Fantasy Pixel Remastered Collection. I completed the game, having done all the side content except for the Coliseum and rolled credits on the main game.

Up Next 🗓️

We’ve reached the end of the main Mega Man series. Next time, I’ll be discussing Mega Man 11!

Castlevania: Circle of the Moon

Publisher: Konami

Developer: Konami Computer Entertainment Kobe

Year of Release: 2001

System: Game Boy Advance

Item Type: Loose

Price Paid: $39

Current Value (Pricecharting): $25.00

Castlevania: Circle of the Moon holds a special place for me because it was the first Castlevania game I played during my quest to work through all of the mainline entries in the series. Rather than playing the games in order of release or in “chronological” order, we ended up randomizing the list of 15 mainline Castlevania games and lo and behold Circle of the Moon ended up being the very first. The first Castlevania game and one that doesn’t even star a Belmont, imagine that. However, it ended up being one of my favorites, and even now I still think it does not get enough credit overall from video game fans. It feels a bit like a hidden gem in the broader Castlevania canon, even though it helped lay groundwork for later handheld titles like Aria of Sorrow and Dawn of Sorrow. I had a great time with it, and it is one of those games I am genuinely happy to have sitting in my collection.

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One thing that makes this entry a little more interesting than some of the others in my collection that I have discussed previously is that I actually know when I bought it and how much I paid. For a lot of the games I own, I picked them up long before I ever bothered to track purchase dates or prices, so the details are lost to time. In this case, though, I have the receipts, metaphorically speaking. Around this time I really started to buckle down about creating an inventory of my games. These guys aren’t a sponsor or anything, but I really enjoy the site CollectorZ. I have my entire collection there and they will pull metadata for the games, cover art and you can add your personal data there such as how much you paid, when you purchased the game and where. You can even review the game if you wish and give it a star rating if that’s your kind of thing.

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Mega Man 10 (NOT Mega Man X) released in March 2010 on WiiWare, PlayStation Network, and Xbox Live Arcade, arriving as the follow-up to Mega Man 9 and once again committing fully to the old-school 8-bit look. Developed by Inti Creates and Capcom, the game doubled down on the retro approach by keeping the NES-style graphics, music, and challenge level th…

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Video game collecting is an expensive hobby. While a collector can find some games for cheap, some of the most sought after titles can sell for hundreds if not thousands of dollars. This problem isn’t unique to video game collecting, of course. Comic books, toys, sports cards, etc. can all be high dollar hobbies. But this is primarily a video game newsletter, so that’s what we’re talking about.

Another aspect of video game collecting that is synonymous with other hobbies is price inflation. In a perfect world, supply and demand would help provide somewhat accurate pricing for a game. If the game was released with low production numbers and then later on became sought after, then the price would go up to meet the demand. Conversely, if a game had a huge production run like the original Super Mario Bros. for the NES, the price would remain low because there are plenty of copies to go around for the most part. Unfortunately, this isn’t how things always pan out. Greed, shady practices and lying sometimes can shape the value of a game and that brings us to the main topic of this post: Hagane: The Final Conflict, one of the worst offenders when it comes to video game price inflation.

What is Hagane?

For those who don’t know, Hagane: The Final Conflict is a Super Nintendo game that was released in November of 1994 in Japan and June of 1995 in the United States. Hagane is an action platformer in which the player controls the titular Hagane, a ninja cyborg whose mission is to defeat the Koma clan whose goal is to take over the world.

The game is full of particle effects and animations and parallax scrolling, making it one of the more visually interesting games in the SNES library. Hagane has a ton of moves and his speed reflects the pace of the game. However, it’s not Ninja Gaiden fast, there is time to stop and consider your next move.

The Release

Hagane, as it was called in Japan, was developed by the Japanese company CAProduction. This company appears to have had a very close relationship to the publisher Hudson Soft and Hagane was their first big game and possibly their first game ever. They would go on to develop other games for Hudson like Battle Raiden aka Kishin Dōji Zenki: Rettou Raiden for the Super Famicom and B.L.U.E.: Legend of Water for the PlayStation.

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Released in November 1991 for the Nintendo Game Boy, Metroid II: Return of Samus marked a bold departure from the original Metroid formula. Developed by Nintendo R&D1, the game sent our stalwart hero/mercenary Samus Aran to the planet SR388 with a singular directive: eradicate the Metroid species entirely. Unlike its predecessor, which emphasized open-e…

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Chrono Cross

Publisher: Square/Square Electronic Arts

Developer: Square

Year of Release: 1999/2000

System: PlayStation

Item Type: CiB

Price Paid: $10

Current Value (Pricecharting): $30.59

Chrono Cross, the highly anticipated game that fans of Chrono Trigger thought would be the continuation and sequel to the acclaimed JRPG. But instead, fans got something completely different. Not a bad game, no. A quite good game with some of the best music in video game history, a unique battle system and lots of characters to recruit ala Suikoden. It just had very little to do with Chrono Trigger, and I think it miffed fans just a tad. And, it may have been at least a little bit responsible for still not having any kind of related sequel/prequel of Chrono Trigger in 2026. But, I don’t want to put all the blame on Chrono Cross, I’m sure many other factors have contributed to that.

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I owned this game even before I had a physical copy of Chrono Trigger for myself. The primary reason for that was because - even decades ago - the cost of Chrono Trigger was pretty high comparatively. Also, I had already played Chrono Trigger for many hours at my cousin’s house as a kid, so I was looking for new experiences. I didn’t really know what Chrono Cross was, only that it was a JRPG and I believe I had heard some positive feedback about the music tracks. Funny enough (by the way this describes me to a T), I never got around to playing the game even after purchasing. It wasn’t until 2023 that I finally played through the game and rolled credits. Up until then, it had been sitting on my shelf, begging to be used like those toys from Toy Story.

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NOTE: This is a republish of an old post since I am off sipping on a beverage on a beach right now. Hope you enjoy and I will be back with a new post next week! This was an older post, before I changed my format so please forgive the roughness.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night was released in 1997 for the PlayStation 1. The game is a direct sequel to Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, another highly regarded Castlevania game but one whose original version is considered pretty obscure (more on that interesting story when I review Rondo of Blood).

Symphony of the Night actually didn’t sell very well on release. It received very little advertising and a limited marketing budget for the US release. Only later did it gain a larger following and eventually received a Greatest Hits version.

Even though the game didn’t sell well initially, it immediately garnered critic’s praises. Critics cited unique RPG elements, a large map to explore and the story plot twists as some of the positives. Some critics, however, dinged it for “outdated” 2D graphics as it was released during the budding 3D era of video games.

What I liked

The Genesis of Metroidvania

Symphony of the Night is the Castlevania game that everyone points to when you ask the question “what was the first Metroidvania Castlevania game?”. Previous Castlevania games were standard 2D side scrolling action platformers. There was no map that the player could pull up anytime they wanted. Levels were fairly linear, moving from left to right with little room for exploration. The RPG elements in these older games consisted of picking up items and maybe upgrading weapons and that was the extent of it.

Symphony of the Night blew all of this out of the water. The creators looked to Metroid for their inspiration. The game was filled with areas and secrets to explore. Because of this, it required an extensive map available to the player at all times. No longer does the main character move in a linear fashion. As Alucard, the main character of the game, players can tackle Dracula’s castle in almost any way they want. Thus, the Metroidvania sub-genre was born.

The game introduces all kinds of different weapons and side items, far outdoing anything that came before it. Alucard can equip shields and use various weapons other than a whip such as Maces, Swords and Daggers. In fact, a Whip is not a weapon Alucard can use. This widely diverges from the Castlevania formula not only because the main character is not a Belmont, but also because the main character isn’t using the signature Vampire Killer whip. Each weapon, as one would expect, has different statistics that affect gameplay.

Further expanding on the RPG elements of this game, Alucard can equip armor. Throughout the game, cloaks, body armor and head armor can be found that have different stats just like the weapon pickups.

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All of these things elevate Symphony of the Night to a masterpiece level that hasn’t really been matched in another Castlevania game. Several entries have come very close as I will discuss in subsequent posts, but all of these are as good as they are because of the lessons learned from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

The Twist

There’s a big story-based twist that occurs in the game. This twist, if you have not researched anything about the game, will come as a pretty big shock. I was not aware of it when starting the game, and I think it adds to the charm of this game in a big way (so please don’t go looking it up, play the game for yourself!). I won’t go into a lot of detail here, but there is a point at which the game pulls a fast one on the players and at the time it was considered one of the biggest shock moments in video games.

What I didn’t like

Street Fighter Controls

There are a handful of powerful moves that are locked behind performing a certain set of button presses in order to execute, similar to something out of a fighting game like Street Fighter. Example, in order to perform Wing Smash which is a bat-based attack, you have to enter the following combination: Hold X, Up-Left, Left, Down-Left, Down, Down-Right, Right then release X. Imagine having to perform that on the fly when you need it. It’s fairly ridiculous and because of that, I only ended up using one of these power moves, Hellfire, because it was one of the easier ones to pull off. I don’t know exactly why this decision was made. It seems like there are enough buttons on the PS1 controller to allow for easier execution of these.

What would I change?

• Make the special moves easier to execute. This would allow them to be used more frequently. There are some really cool special moves that a lot of players likely never even saw because of the obscurity and difficulty to pull them off.

Released in 2018 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC, Darksiders III marked the long-awaited return of the apocalyptic action series after nearly six years of dormancy. Developed by Gunfire Games - a studio formed by many of the developers who previously worked at Vigil Games, the creators of the original titles - the game shifted the spotlight …

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I awoke on the ship’s deck only to see Commander Glen lying unconscious. What had transpired while I was out? There appeared to be a Rune symbol on the back of his left hand. A symbol that wasn’t there before. Could Brandeau’s Rune have been transferred to Glen? Brandeau was nowhere to be seen. I didn’t know what kind of Rune Brandeau had wielded but it obviously was very powerful….and very dangerous.

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On the way back to Razril, we spotted Snowe in his little dinghy boat. I know I may have shown Snowe too much compassion and grace after what he did, but he is a friend. We picked him up and set sail back home. But home wasn’t exactly as welcoming for Snowe as he might have thought. We were heckled by several Gaien Knights as we headed into town, making fun of his “arm hurting” and running away from the battle. Despite that, we did some shopping and got some medicine for the Commander. We also stopped by the kitchen where Funghi was making a warm meal for him as well. The Commander’s looked weaker than expected and was bedridden, partly because Katarina insisted he rest. The Commander’s hand was still marked from the Rune he inherited from the pirate Brandeau. He was not in the best of moods and requested that he be alone.

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Released in September 2008 on PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, and WiiWare, Mega Man 9 was a deliberate and surprising throwback in an era dominated by high-definition graphics and cinematic spectacle. Developed by Inti Creates in collaboration with Capcom, the game intentionally abandoned modern visuals in favor of an 8-bit NES-style presentation…

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It turns out the man was somewhat important to Middleport in that he was a big fish importer and essentially keeps the entire town fed. So of course, we decided to head back out to sea to find this cute but very dangerous creature.

After not that much searching and sailing, we ran across the dastardly creature. It looked like a damp hairball actually. I wouldn’t call it cute, but I can see what the fisherman was talking about. The creature didn’t look scary at all. But, it was clear that it was a way to catch its prey off guard. The monster was actually quite tough. Keneth, Tal, Snowe and I stood our ground. Snowe and I tried out some moves that we had been practicing in between training missions and it actually turned out really well.

Returning with the good news netted us 2,000 potch! Obviously the real reward was doing the right thing, but this was more money than I had ever received at once. Unfortunately, Tal thought it might be a good idea to risk some of it with Gunther, a local dice player. We played a few games of Down to One and gained some potch but also lost some potch. That’s gambling for you.

After finally docking at Razril, we were met at the port by Katarina. She asked for a situation report and Snowe gave her the briefing. Katarina asked that Snowe and I speak with Commander Glen, as he had another mission for just us. She also mentioned that the Pirate Brandeau has been seen in the waters nearby and to stay vigilant. Brandeau is a well known pirate in the area and is certainly no one to underestimate. After dropping off our things at our rooms, we headed to the meeting room. Lord Vingerhut, Commander Glen and Katarina were present along with a mysterious man. His name was Mr. Ramada and is a trader for the Orark Maritime Trade company. Ramada is looking for military support to guide his ship containing spices to the island of Iluya after they were attacked while sailing from Middleport. He was not exactly thrilled to see that Commander Glen had suggested us. I guess he presumed we were novices. But, Katarina convinced him fairly easily, a fact I found quite puzzling. Snowe was appointed captain of the mission, he was clearly very excited about the whole thing.

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Released in June 1993 for the Sega Mega Drive in Japan and Europe (and much later on the short lived Sega Channel in the United States in 1995), Golden Axe III marked the final mainline entry in Sega’s classic fantasy beat ’em up trilogy on home consoles. Developed by Sega AM1, the game attempted to modernize the series with new mechanics, branching pat…

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