Final Verdict: Kane & Lynch - Dead Men

Dead Men is the first of two games in the Kane & Lynch third person action series that came out in 2007 for PC, PS3, and 360. It's a series that I somehow pushed back all the way to 2022 to play and finally nabbed it on GOG during it's promotional DRM-Free release sale. After beating Kane & Lynch: Dead Men for the first time, to me it came off as a game that tried presenting itself as an inspired action film having cliche set pieces and many segments feeling like I was supposed to take in the scene.

I went into the game very enthusiastically but felt a lot of it fell flat in many areas, specifically how little polish was felt in the gameplay. The bigger issues are the inconsistent shooting and movement mechanics. Sometimes, you're able to get away with holding down your trigger and killing every enemy in sight, other times you couldn't even pick them off while aiming at them. Even when you try to play the game how it was probably designed which is by moving cover to cover, the enemy seemed to always have some kind of advantage so it was pointless unless you were behind the biggest wall. I never found any consistency throughout the game and had to rely on finding exploits in order to progress.

Despite it's many flaws, Kane & Lynch: Dead Men is far from a bad game and a worthwhile experience, it's just sick with the traits found in other games during a time when publishers and developers were obsessed with marketing cinematic experiences but weren't sure how to implement it in video game form. We still get those type of games today, but I wouldn't know if those are designed better. Giving this game the benefit of the doubt, there is a part of me that wants to believe that much of the unpolished gameplay was done on purpose to make the game feel like a rough single take film. If we're being realistic though, there is a lot of fine tuning this game needed. What actually kept me going through to the end was being hooked in the first quarter of the plot itself.

If you watched a lot of action movies in the mid to late 90's and early 2000's, you'll be able to immediately pick up on the inspirations for most of the game. It's a very cliche plot where they setup the main character to be some brooding guy with heavy hints of main character energy and they throw down all of his reasons and motivations on the table at the very beginning. Following that up is the enigmatic would-be accomplice/side-kick sitting right next to the main character who's true nature is slowly unraveled as you progress through the game. Right from the moment that they interact with each other, their whole dynamic was very spot on for two guys who don't get along but are forced to work together which I personally wanted to see develop to experience the payoff.

The one thing about the plot that I found confusing was that some of it felt like I should have known this information. If there was a comic book or other promotional material that explains these gaps in the plot, I must have missed the memo. There were also moments throughout the game where they keep hinting that a twist or turning point in the plot would come up, it's like the writers forgot to implement any of them by the end of the game.

Overall, I still think people should check it out because it's highest points are done very well, but even the lowest point merely fall flat and don't affect the momentum of the experience. It's been made available again on PC but this time as a DRM-Free release on GOG.

Official Trailer 1
Official Trailer 2
Buy it on GOG

NEC TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine: Kannibal's Picks

    PC Engine (or TurboGrafx-16 in North America) is a seemingly obscure console to people that may have not had a chance to explore games on lesser popular consoles. The PC Engine saw many arcade ports that have received more preference over other console ports as well as completely original games that remain exclusive to this console; not counting re-releases on modern platforms. I've recently been inspired to make my own list of recommended games and hope to convince people to further explore PC Engine games on their own. Do note that in this list, I will only be recommending games available in HuCard format and not CD in order to make it easier for people to get into this amazing console's library.

Alien Crush

    Alien Crush is a pinball game in the Pinball Crush series which emphasizes on using the ball to attack enemies on a pinball style playfield for points. The grotesque organic life-form aesthetic of the levels are properly complimented by an ominous and aggressive soundtrack that make very good use of the PC Engine's soundchip. Alien Crush was succeeded by Devil's Crush which is also on PC Engine if you enjoyed this game.

New Adventure Island

    New Adventure Island is a quirky platform-runner for the PC Engine that happens to be the fourth game in the Adventure Island series; It originally started off as an adaptation of the first Wonder Boy game. This version plays similarly to the first game as somewhat of a remake with the addition of a few new upgrades. It's not a hard platformer to get into but does present it's challenges to keep you on your toes. I really prefer the soundtrack of this game almost more than the original NES version.

Soldier Blade

    As the fourth game in the Star Soldier series, Soldier Blade is probably the fastest Hudson Soft shooter by comparison. It had a rushed development cycle but is surprisingly a solid game that provides a satisfying learning curve to overcome. There is enough variety in the levels and creative use of the enemies that progress in difficulty which manages to maintain a steadily ramping pace as you race to the end of the game. Each "Operation" has a unique BGM that adequately sets the mood properly so make sure to set your speakers on max, or as high as you can bare.

Why companies should sell raw ROM files of their games

Game backups that have been distributed and/or acquired through unauthorized methods have existed for a long time. No amount of anti-piracy measures affected the act and only serve to hold back the inevitable. So why haven't companies resorted to selling their games on an easily distributed format that is usable on a variety of platforms such as emulators or flash carts? To hazard a guess, it's because this method does not translate into profits very well. It also opens companies up to relentless piracy and bootlegs of their games which in turn can affect sales for official retail copies on the market. Not only that, bootlegs also affect the consumer when they get their hands on a badly produced print causing permanent damage to their console. I do not claim to be someone who directly runs a business or has any knowledge on how unauthorized access to games affect a company, but I firmly believe it's more important to openly provide options to your potential customers instead of limiting access to your games behind specific services or formats.

Long before emulation went mainstream (relative to how widely accepted it is now), companies would reprogram their older games to run on later platforms and re-release them often as part of compilations. As time went on, compilations would become lazy collections of ROMs and emulators. I would see no real value in these compilations unless they included bonus historical content such as interviews or concept art but also had games not easily accessible or emulated in the first place. Fast forward to today, official compilations are mostly shallow and contain regular ROMs running on first party emulators typically locked behind proprietary containers. How do we know they are regular ROMs? because dedicated individuals have extracted the ROM files straight out of their proprietary containers. Without the need to alter or manipulate the files, these same extracted ROMs can be used with free emulators which has convinced people that buying the compilations were perfectly legal workarounds of obtaining the ROMs. There are some re-releases of classic games on PC that do not hide the ROM file leaving them to be plucked out easily by visiting the installation directory. I happen to own a few of these compilations and can rest easy knowing the publishers have been compensated for the ROM I decided to extract and enjoy on my preferred emulator.

Very few of the more prolific indie developers have released the full version of their games as ROM files. More often than not, the most some publishers or developers will do is release free demos while the full game is reserved for people who buy a cartridge. I have more respect for a confident company like Bitmap Bureau who let people know ahead of the cartridge version's release of Xeno Crisis that the NeoGeo ROM would be available after a certain amount of time once people got their pre-ordered copies. In the meantime, you were still able buy the ROM files for the Dreamcast and Genesis versions of Xeno Crisis on their website. Another company I have a lot of respect for is Morphcat Games who have also made the original NES ROM accessible with the purchase of the digital version of Micro Mages. It's evident that the ROM version has not affected these developers in a negative way since they continue to work on new projects, with Morphcat Games even releasing free NES games after the success of Micro Mages, albeit they are short NES games. There is no doubt people have gained access to these ROMs without having compensated the creators, but the exact same thing can be said about the DRM-Free indie games released on GOG and it does not stop indie developers from publishing there.

While it's easy to empathize with their rightful concern of the ROM version diminishing the value of the cartridge, limiting the potential audience to physical collectors has me question if these games are actually well made or only profit off of the novelty of being developed for a retro console. The physical collectors market is very tough to get into these days unless you are lucky to find what you want or are able to put in a pre-order in time to get a reprint of a game. Appraisers are going off the wall with the prices of the used games market with prospecting buyers accusing them of artificially causing shortages. Not many are able to join the hobby without investing time and money, but then again some people do get off on the hunt. Consoles are only becoming rare that even the hardly functioning units are demanding very high prices. Aftermarket solutions consisting of clone consoles are either so cheaply produced they are not fully compatible with the majority of even the commercial library or too expensive to produce that they are released in limited quantities. Most people are already content with emulation at this point with some looking towards FPGA emulation for a more faithful and low-latency experience. Why not begin tapping into this market?

In the past, I've sent several emails to some developers and publishers regarding releasing their games as ROMs. The few that did respond back to my inquiries had good reasons for their decisions. Companies in charge of distributing some of these cartridges had already signed exclusivity contracts so I speculate that these contracts would have to expire before the publishers or developers would even be allowed to think about releasing these games on other formats. The replies that make me hopeful are always the ones where I am told that eventually they will sell the ROMs, but not how soon or when. It just puts me at ease that they have the intention to do so. There is one elusive developer who has failed to respond to both of my emails that I sent out at least a year apart. Part of me has already accepted that I was probably blocked, but then there are stories of other people who have sent similar emails and have gotten negative replies from this developer. Being asked if you will release the ROM by many people might get tiresome, but that is a huge problem happening when you decide to only release your highly demanded indie game in limited quantities on one platform without offering others the option to buy it in a different format. From this same developer, there have been re-releases on modern consoles with added features or gimmicks, yet the originals retain the same demand or higher.

If you're genuinely interested in supporting developers through the purchase of a ROM or would like to provide free publicity by demonstrating their games in a gameplay video, I have come to rely on itch.io as the leading distributor of these ROMs. Most ROMs on Itch.io will be decently priced, but you will also find free games and demos that actually run on a flash cart or MiSTer FPGA for you to check out.

Do you agree that more developers should be open to selling the ROMs of their games, even if we have to wait a certain amount of time after the cartridge version goes on sale? Are there any other outlets or developers who might currently only offer their games on other websites?

6-Button Showdown: Retro Fighters' BrawlerGen USB vs Retro-Bit's Official Sega Saturn USB

 

VS

     6-button controllers have been a niche for a long time and have not seen serious first-party releases since the Sega Saturn and PC-FX; maybe N64 too if you consider the button layout. In-between then and now, they have mostly been marketed by third-party companies towards arcade game fans, or more specifically, fighting game enthusiasts. General-use 6-button controllers have been seen on PC as well, alongside my longtime favorite being the Saitek P2500 Rumble Pad. With a boom in retro gaming happening these past years, some companies have begun releasing higher quality reproduction controllers aimed directly at the retro gaming market. Forget about those cheap USB controllers that have been around for a while. We're going to be talking about Retro Fighter's BrawlerGen USB pad aimed at bringing a tried-and-true retro design but with modern touches. Next to it will be Retro-Bit's official Sega Saturn USB pad simply being an officially licensed reproduction of the original controller with no added bells and whistles.

     Sega Genesis was definitely the console you wanted to get if you wanted an arcade game oriented library. Even though the TurboGrafx-16 (PC-Engine) also offered amazing arcade style games and even got a 6-button controller add-on too, it would not set many standards in the following console generations. When the Genesis got a 6-button controller add-on, you could play certain games with additional gameplay functions or just more intuitively. Considering the official names of the 6-button Genesis controller; Arcade Pad in North America and Fighting Pad in Japan, it's no wonder it set in stone who this style of controller would be later marketed to. The Arcade Pad/Fighting Pad was the standard controller for the Sega Saturn but with a sleeker body which became many people's holy grail as far as retro controllers went. When 6-button pads would later be released for other platforms; even the Sega Saturn pad itself for the PlayStation 2, they would be based on the Saturn pad layout. It would mainly be design choices that would separate them depending on the maker of the controller; for example, evenly sized XYZ and ABC buttons or additional function buttons. I personally prefer the controllers with evenly sized flat faced buttons, but the smaller convex Sega style XYZ buttons make sense since they were mostly auxiliary buttons outside of fighting games.

 

    Retro Fighters is a controller manufacturer that has been taking retro button layouts and applying them to modern, more ergonomic controller shapes. Their BrawlerGen takes direct influence from the Arcade Pad/Fighting Pad buttons and the DPad offering the classic Sega Genesis/Saturn feel of a controller. There is the odd addition of an analog stick styled after the Xbox One controller’s analog stick. In DirectInput mode, the analog stick mirrors the Dpad making it a pointless addition for me, but once you enable the XInput mode, you have a fully featured modern controller. Every moving part on this controller feels very firm. The Dpad rotates very nicely without feeling stiff. The buttons do not feel like they will sink into the shell if you press them hard and do not have that loose wiggle that you find in knock-off controllers. While build quality is top notch, the dpad registers misinputs a lot and it leaves me concerned.

     Retro-Bit have been making aftermarket accessories that are compatible with genuine consoles as well as clone consoles; including their own. The quality of their products leaves them best for emergency or temporary use because the stuff I've bought from them does not last very long. They have officially partnered up with Sega to re-create Sega console controllers in different colors for both USB compatible platforms and a separate line of controllers just for the original consoles. I decided to get the Sega Saturn pad because I have always wondered what made these extremely popular. It saddens me to admit that the build quality feels hardly any better than the generic junk sold for less. In the marketing description, they are labeled as "Original Grade Quality" which really doesn't feel like that is the case unless the original controllers felt the same. Does it function properly though? I have not encountered bad inputs yet and the buttons have held really well. All of the moving parts have a lot of wiggle that I'm not comfortable with. Although, the looseness of the Dpad may or may not be good under certain circumstances.

 

    Both controllers were tested using MiSTer on a VGA/PC CRT in order to get a more accurate assessment of their performance in the games these were intended for. To my surprise, Retro-Bit's Official Saturn pad executed every input brilliantly without any misinputs experienced. With the BrawlerGen feeling much more sturdy and promising, I had to be very careful with the Dpad since any slight touch caused the characters to jump or menu cursors to go up. By comparison, the OEM Sony SCPH-1080 controller feels stern and the buttons have perfect registration in any games I've used them in; paired with a Brook Super Converter for PlayStation to USB when not being used on Sony consoles. I had very high hopes for the BrawlerGen due to the build quality and feel of the buttons but missed the mark with the Dpad. If we were to compare it to other floating Dpads, the Logitech F310 has perfected this design but is not a 6 face button controller. This comparison test made me realize that while the SCPH-1080 is the most versatile controller for Dpad games, I found dialing in basic moves in Street Fighter more comfortable on the Retro-Bit Official Saturn pad.

    If you are seeking for alternative replacement controllers that are Sega console compliant and be able to confidently make the purchase, do not hesitate to get Retro-Bit's officially licensed Sega controllers. They left me beyond impressed and am tempted to get their 8-button Genesis version.

MiSTer: Retro Computing Redefined

    MiSTer is an open source project making use of the DE-10 Nano FPGA board to develop cores which are re-creations of various hardware specs with the primary goal of providing cycle accurate emulation. Once you have a core loaded, you have access to the native functions of consoles like a Sega Genesis or a classic DOS computer. Any games or programs you used to run on retro hardware can once again be enjoyed as if it were on the real thing. The biggest advantage of owning a MiSTer is that unlike traditional software-based emulators, you don't need to tweak settings after settings to achieve low latency gameplay thanks in part to the FPGA accurately replicating the intended hardware functions. Apart from virtually zero input latency, another instant favorite feature of mine included with some cores is the option to increase the sprite limits which reduces flickering produced due to the original console's hardware limitations making the games move very smoothly.

     Getting started from scratch is very easy and will only require a basic precision tool kit if you plan to attach additional expansion PCBs like a USB hub or I/O board. I can only speak for people in North America, but the best place to grab a complete kit is MiSTer Addons. You do not need to buy everything at once and simply start with a bare DE-10 Nano, then follow up with incremental upgrades if you find the cores you want to use require them. The one add-on I do recommend you get with your DE-10 Nano is a 128MB SDRAM upgrade which will unlock the full potential of the project. MiSTer Addons also offers pre-built MiSTer kits in either Digital or Analog versions with everything you're gonna need to get your FPGA journey started. With the pre-built kit, the most elbow grease you will need to put in once it arrives is running the update script and deciding what ROMs to check out first.

    Regardless of the purpose of MiSTer, the investment alone will definitely have people questioning what the payoffs really are. What made it more than worthwhile for me is that I no longer have to hunt for increasingly rare and expensive consoles and then also have to buy a flash cart or an ODE mod for each console, at least for the ones that have a core available on MiSTer. Regardless of whether you or I are skilled players or not, having no input delay is a very important benefit because many games developed in the 90's and earlier were made when CRTs dominated the consumer display market. CRTs did not have any post-processing done on the final image therefore did not introduce input delay so many games were designed around having the player pull off frame-perfect inputs (Punch-Out for the NES is a popular example). The DE-10 Nano being able to accurately pretend to be a Super Nintendo or PC-Engine and having native digital output from the HDMI port means it is able to bypass the built-in upscaler found in many modern displays which leads to less input delay. Pair the MiSTer with a gaming monitor and you should not be able to perceive any input delay at all. As a retro gaming enthusiast, the costs of having an optimal setup just so I could enjoy and appreciate cycle accurate emulation is beyond made up for when considering that software emulation may offer more features, but won't be able to provide the experience intended by the developers.

     Nostalgia did not play as heavy of a factor when I made the decision to get a MiSTer FPGA. For a long time, I have always wanted to own certain retro consoles because somewhere in the back of my mind, emulating them did not feel genuine. I did not have the words for it either until I learned about this project aiming to provide cycle accurate emulation for the supported consoles. When you emulate on your computer, for example, there are extra layers of variables added that open the door to unintentional results that don't ever happen on real hardware. Some of these unforeseen nuances are the effect of the game not running in time with the original console's intended clock speed. This can be mitigated by playing on a platform that aims to faithfully replicate the hardware. My performance has improved in many games because they behave how they were supposed to in the first place.

    Game collecting has been a thing for a long time and many people welcome opportunities where they can keep their cartridges for display but still be able to play the game itself. There have been efforts made to preserve physical copies of games for many reasons other than collecting. This is where archived ROMs come into play and the methods available to play those ROMs. On real consoles, people have been producing or buying flash carts which can be stuffed to the brim with games when you insert a loaded SD card in. Many of these flash carts also provided additional features not available on the original consoles such as save states. On top of that, modern flash carts like the Everdrive series provide the functions of console expansions like the 32x and CD for the Genesis helping you reduce space. By contrast, with the MiSTer still being sort of in it's infancy not every console expansion is currently supported, but for everything that is will all be contained on one tiny setup.

     It's been a very long road in obtaining a functional retro gaming setup. All I have ever wanted to do was buy the consoles I cared about, fit them with a flash cart or alter them to run backups using a different method. When the MiSTer showed up on the scene, I was very skeptical thinking it was just a more expensive Raspberry Pi hobby board running fancy emulators. The reality is that you effectively have the consoles, except they are stored inside a micro SD chip and are run on a small little hardware setup. Apart from being able to play Sega Genesis, PC-Engine, and NES, now I can check out old computers and consoles I was not able to fully appreciate using emulators. Considering that even at the price a full setup will run you for, it still requires effort on your end to get things actually going. It's probably going to turn off people who don't care about the benefits, but if you want to enjoy your retro games the way the developers intended, MiSTer is the answer to that.

 

Creative Pebble V2 Review

      Creative is a company I know mostly for their awesome SoundBlaster series of sound cards for PC. I have used some of their satellite speakers before but got the mid-tier stuff rather than their budget tier products. This time around, I needed a pair of small 2.0 desktop speakers for my dedicated MiSTer setup and did not want to go with just any cheap pair offered on Amazon. When I came across the Creative Pebble V2 speakers for around $25 ($28 total after shipping and taxes in CA), I immediately put them in my cart and called it a night. Since I forgot to estimate the dimensions before buying them, I went to sleep expecting cute little fist sized speakers based on the main product picture (see above) and name alone. When the box was left at my door by the Amazon Prime guy, I assumed I would find tons of cardboard hugging the speakers but was instead met with two medium sized speakers with a snug fit inside the whole box. For scale, each one can be fully cupped by two of my hands (7.5" from pinky to thumb each hand). My first concern right away was that the cables are not detachable so if a dog or cat chews any cable, it's game over for these speakers. With the concern in the back of my mind, part of me was very tempted to return these and just invest in a little DAC AMP setup with RCA or speaker wire connectors. Not so fast though, let's keep in mind that I need the cheapest and smallest setup I can personally bear with. A more involved setup would run me upwards to around $100 which is overkill for my intended purpose.

     I am someone who likes big sound out of their setup but was mentally prepared to accept the miniscule output these would potentially offer. When evaluating audio equipment, my setup consists of a sole FiiO M7 DAP with the stock 'FiiO Music' player which have been proudly driving my V-Moda M-100 headphones. Oh man, I was pretty impressed at how loud these got. One thing to keep in mind is that when a song or sound hits an extreme low or high frequency, the speakers will hit their peak much faster while turning up the volume knob if you use the 'H' setting on the switch beneath the main (right channel) speaker. While using the 'H' setting, they are also very fatiguing if you decide to sit near them with moderately loud volume. Using the 'A' setting provides a lower gain that is much more bearable for longer listening sessions, but is also the safest setting because I would not want to risk blowing out the rear little woofers from prolonged music blasting.

    You cannot realistically expect full bodied sound from any kind of satellite speakers. Having said that, the balance between every instrument is phenomenal for the price and gets by for basic use. I strongly advise against listening to music that heavily uses low frequency distortion like hardcore or crossbreed drum 'n bass at high volumes, but most low frequency music is ok within reasonable volume. Considering I bought the Creative Pebble V2 speakers for my MiSTer setup, I do not expect any game to put these speakers to work in any meaningful way since game audio back in the day was mostly heard through the built-in speakers of your TV and audio engineers most likely tuned their audio around this fact. There are few games that can reach low enough frequencies to shake the woofers though. One factor that will show these speaker's limits are games that have multiple audio sources going off at the same time which I mostly experienced in arcade games that could process many sound effects at once.

     The Creative Pebble V2 speakers do not break the bank while providing excellent sound for the price point. These are perfect for small rooms or minimalist setups, just not the best if you seek a room filling sound experience. As soon as you pick them up, the build quality stands out right away. Once again, my only concern is the permanently installed cables but people without pets and great cable management won't really have to worry about this.

     In case there is any curiosity on what my alternatives would have been, I would have totally settled for any pair of Logitech speakers which can go for as low as $10 and the nicer, but still budget oriented, speakers for $20 (before shipping and taxes). There is also the regular Creative Pebble 2.0 which does not sound as good according to several internet comparisons.

Buy Creative Pebble V2 from Amazon

Fatal Four-Way: The PlayStation 2 4-Player Multi-Tap Experience

Preface: Let me start off by acknowledging that while the PlayStation 2 is capable of up to 8 players, I will be focusing on games that support at least 4 simultaneous players. This will not be a top games list or talked about in any order, but rather pointing out notable games that support the multi-tap accessory. Also note that this is off the top of my head so I may be missing key information.

Since the PlayStation 1, Sony has required players to purchase the Multi-Tap accessory separately in order to play local multiplayer games. As it is so with the PlayStation 2, there are even more games on this sequel platform that will take advantage of this add-on. Some of these games will be very obvious choices when deciding what to play and others will probably be unfamiliar or just unexpected. As a huge enthusiast of LAN and Local-Multiplayer games, I hope to present to you only the most worthwhile games you can experience with your own couch gaming group.

The TimeSplitters series on PS2; developed by Free Radical Design consisting of former RareWare guys, is a spiritual follow-up of both GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark which were released for the Nintendo 64. TimeSplitters (1) is the spitting image of the previous two games retaining the trademark floating reticle aim but is presented as a time-attack arcade game with no obvious story to follow. Pretty much most of game modes you enjoyed in the N64 titles will be found here such as Deathmatch and 2-player COOP retained from Perfect Dark. TimeSplitters 2 updates the first game and brings more cohesion to the progression of the singeplayer/COOP mode, but more importantly adds even more multiplayer modes like Capture the Flag and in my option is the best of the three. TimeSplitters: Future Perfect has the most splitscreen content of the three with the addition of assault mode pitting two teams to defend and attack objectives; the multiplayer is more akin to Unreal Tournament if that makes sense. TimeSplitters 2 and Future Perfect both have built-in map editors so you can even go as far as recreating GoldenEye maps if you want or something completely original.

If you've never played a Gauntlet game before, make sure Gauntlet: Dark Legacy is your first experience because the amount of content is overwhelming. The original 3D Gauntlet had several unique realms with about 10 levels themed after their respective realms and one final boss each. On it's own, that was a lot of game to play, but Dark Legacy came out and puked out more playable classes, more realms, more challenge realms after the extra ones, and I can go on about this. Make sure to prepare an entire weekend if you expect to witness the whole game. Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows is another game in the series (don't play it before you play Dark Legacy), but might not be for everyone since there were several changes to the way the game progresses and some of the mechanics attempting to follow-up on the trends at the time.

SOE (yep, Sony) made one of the greatest 4-player RPG console experiences ever known as Champions of Norrath. The gameplay itself is not as exhausting as a traditional CRPG like the Infinity Engine games; Baldur's Gate or Icewind Dale, but does provide enough depth in the character leveling to satisfy hardcore enthusiasts of the genre. Do keep in mind that the pacing will be different here than in most games you will play on consoles, so only pair up with people who understand not every game can be brute-forced in order to complete. The sequel, Champions: Return to Norrath, is an amazing continuation of where the first game left off expanding on the lore and provides further gameplay.

Want to simply beat the fuck out of your friends? While the WWE games are easy picks for this purpose, you can break out of your comfort zone and play EA's Def Jam: Fight for NY. Disregarding the fact that the roster mainly consists of the Def Jam record label's most recognizable artists, there are some original characters exclusive to the game and features (censored) music from the record label itself. If you can look past the urban gang theme, it's a ridiculously satisfying game that features lethal finishing moves with tons of blood and violence. Another brawler you will enjoy is Urban Reign which was published by Namco and features two Tekken guest characters. It does not contain as much violence as the former game, but does leave you just as satisfied after each match. The mechanics are slightly different, but once you've played a PS2 brawler, the rest fall into place making it easy to get used to.

If you want thematically grounded FPS games not set in sci-fi universes, the Medal of Honor and the Black Hawk Down games provide the best. Medal of Honor: Rising Sun might feel outdated compared to the other games but it cannot be neglected at least one session. Medal of Honor: European Assault and Vanguard have the tighter mechanics and cooler maps to play through. Both Black Hawk Down games are amazing tactical shooting experiences letting you choose from many weapon loadouts. Some of the maps might be too big for two players on both series mentioned, but of course 4 players is the lucky number here.

Not every game needs to have a serious tone or theme to be good, so if you just want plain old fun with your group then there are many party games. The most noteworthy party game I feel like everyone needs to check out in Thrillville: Off The Rails. Specifically, the arcade games which are a bunch of mini-games that vary in genre like traditional arcade games, racing games, some FPS action here, and then there are the theme park rides converted into multiplayer games. Enjoy that with open minded friends though cause some of these mini-games don't play as good.

There are several compilations on PS2 of many retro and arcade games, but the one I highly recommend is the Midway Arcade Treasures series. We already mentioned Gauntlet: Dark Legacy, but why not go back a step and check out the classic 2D Gauntlet games? There are other 4-player games to check out, but one that is strictly up to 3 players and also worth your time is the Rampage games available in this compilation series.

One genre I wanted to steer clear from is Sports because once the roster in real life is updated, it might not makes sense to sports fans to come back. EA Big developed some sports games subtitled "Street" that have over-the-top mechanics making some of these sports game ridiculously fun to play. My all-time favorite is NFL Street 2, but more out of nostalgia, so you might want to just go straight to NFL Street 3.

The last game I'd like to give mention to is Twisted Metal: Black. It's a vehicle combat game where the focus is to destroy your opponents and be the last driver...driving. The theme is very edgy, but don't let it distract you from how far the series has come along since it's fall from grace after Twisted Metal 2 on PS1. Keep in mind that with 4 players, you will be limited to small maps with some needing to be unlocked by finding black cubes.

There are many more games that I want to talk about but would eventually lead to me making a meaningless bland list of games that can be found with quick google searches. If you want to find out what games are supported with the multi-tap accessory though and explore those games on your own, MobyGames will provide you with the answers. Thanks for reading and I hope this helps you kick off awesome couch gaming sessions.

Revitalized Ancient - An overview and some clarifications about Nightdive's remastered Quake

Bethesda recently published a remaster for Quake by Nightdive Studios using their Kex engine. The Kex engine technology provides many features that have not been standard or just difficult to implement in most traditional sourceports for Quake. The main gimmick is that it updates Quake to modern standards such as providing matchmaking and also gives console players a proper taste of a classic that PC gamers have been enjoying for the past few decades; with the odd retro console enthusiasts encountering the old console ports here and there. One of the biggest features that excites me the most is splitscreen multiplayer which works right out of the box and only requires you to plug in extra controllers. If everyone happens to own the game on different compatible platforms though, PC and console players can play Quake together through crossplay matchmaking. At first, I was not a fan of the update until I realized it was mostly aimed at console players, but once I started playing the remaster exclusively with a controller I realized it was a totally acceptable experience. Since then, I have taken every opportunity to play Quake with my brother who owns the remaster on Switch.

I can rant and talk about all of the changes made to the vanilla Quake experience found in the remaster (hereinafter KexQuake), but if I am really that bothered by these changes then nothing is stopping me from using a traditional sourceport for the classic installation and playing that. Thankfully, Bethesda did not replace or touch the original Quake files so they are still accessible with the Steam release; maybe other PC releases too, they merely made KexQuake launch by default and is in it’s own self-contained folder negating the need to rely on the original files. Just imagine the massive backlash otherwise. While most standard sourceports used across the classic community have options for 32-bit and 64-bit binaries, KexQuake only comes in a 64-bit executable which will leave enthusiasts of legacy operating systems and hardware out of the experience. If you are understandably adamant about sticking to the original Quake, FTE QuakeWorld is the closest solution to being all-in-one providing many of the features found in KexQuake and then some; including splitscreen and built-in add-on manager among 32-bit support.

Quake saw a few rough ports to consoles in the 90’s (with a cancelled port or two) and has largely remained a PC oriented title ever since. Dedicated members of the homebrew community have unofficially ported Quake onto consoles like the Dramcast, PSP and PS Vita but with crude and limited controller support. KexQuake is just what console players have needed for a long time in order to properly enjoy Quake. The most important feature that modernizes Quake is matchmaking which streamlines your sessions to just a few clicks, no longer do you have to press tilde and type in or paste commands with potentially long hostname addresses. Native controller support also bridges a longtime wide open gap for players who just want to have fun, along with that is an option to matchmake or host matches that only allow controllers to be used. I’m a huge fucking fan of native controller support in PC games because it makes splitscreen sessions operate smoothly without my guests having to wait long minutes for me to figure out why they can’t move.

One can argue about not being able to freely mod your game on consoles, limiting the replayability Quake is known for on PC to just the base game and the provided mission packs. There is an effort made to allow KexQuake to be expanded with further content post-release via the add-on menu option; at the moment of writing, only Quake 64 is available. This opens up an immense opportunity for classic commercial mission packs to make a comeback such as Abyss of Pandemonium, Malice, Shrak for Quake, and even Dark Hour as an honorable mention. The Quake PC community has been hard at work since the original launch serving several large scale map packs and an overabundance of individual maps. Most of this community generated content, if not all, deserves to be experienced by the new players brought on by KexQuake. Being able to enjoy my personal favorites such as the Coagula series in co-op using splitscreen or crossplay is an experience I relish. One aspect I do find concerning is the lack of any indication of whether we may or may not be getting additional multiplayer maps.

To me, KexQuake started out as a very unfavorable update to a legendary game. Over the course of several days, it has slowly grown on me as I started to acknowledge what it is meant to stand for. Seeing new faces getting down in Quake has revitalized an essence in the community that might not be recapturable again. I urge everyone to check out the remaster at your earliest convenience, especially if it is your first exposure to Quake. It’s certainly more enjoyable with a controller than with mouse & keyboard.

PC Engine Mini Controller Review

Preface: So I accidentally bought four PC Engine Mini controllers when I really intended to buy ONE. Definitely willing to take the financial hit and not planning to return any of them. I attempted to perform an unboxing video but I did it in such a rush that I did not bother to use my higher quality microphone and did not bother getting notes down about things I wanted to talk about which ended up in me stumbling all over the video. Since I decided to scrap the entire video, I will just talk about the PC Engine Mini controller here.

The official Turbo Controller for PC Engine Mini was made by HORI as an add-on for the PC Engine Mini console and it's regional counterparts. On it's own, it will provide you with the turbo switch functions which do not come with the Japan region mini console as well as a very long USB cable. Otherwise, you will now be able to play two player games. So far, I really like the sturdy build and weight of the controller, none of it feels cheap at all.

Many of the included games for the PC Engine Mini consoles do not have a turbo function programmed into them. Anyone who bought a Japan region mini console will receive a controller with no turbo switches which leaves them at a potential disadvantage against players who have a controller with the turbo switches when playing for high scores. This is where the official Turbo Controller comes in providing players with the missing turbo switches from the Japan region mini console. Although there are wireless alternatives which also include the turbo function, this one also features a very long cable alleviating the need for batteries or having to sit very close to your setup.

Apart from providing the turbo function, you'll now be able to enjoy local multiplayer games like Cadash, Salamander, and Gradius. Some games like Dungeon Explorer and the Bomberman games will require up to four additional controllers; apart from the packed-in controller, and the official Turbo Tap add-on to make use of the two to five player modes. These are great for Retropie players who wanna enjoy games like Micro Mages, the earlier 2D Gauntlet games, and other great 2-button local multiplayer games.

I am very satisfied with the overall build quality of these controllers. None of the moving parts feel cheap and seem very durable. The turbo switches have enough resistance and are even spaced at a reachable distance so you will not be accidentally enabling or disabling the turbo functions. Sadly, I did experience a few unintentional inputs with the dpad. The buttons have reasonable spacing for playing with a single thumb which is very important in Contra/Megaman style games. There are currently no complaints about the functionality of the controller itself.

While I really do like this controller for what it brings to the table, It offers no real value over a fully featured controller. If you're not buying this to complete your PC Engine mini setup, then it's still a top quality novelty accessory to get. These will go perfectly with your Retropie and MiSTER setups if you only plan to play games that make use of two buttons at most. Keeping that in mind, Sega Genesis games would be totally playable if you stick to games that only use A, B, and C since you can map C to the Select button instead (due to the Genesis controller originally having just a Start button as well as many games using C for misc. functions). Can't think of any way HORI could improve on this controller but it would be a nice step-up if they ever release the six-button controller in the future. In conclusion, they are definitely going to be my dedicated Retropie controllers but I hope I find other uses for them on my PC games.

Final Verdict: Brook Mars Wired Controller

Brook is a company synonymous with the DIY arcade stick market and is most popular for its multi-console PCB known as the Universal Fighting Board. The UFB's biggest selling point is that it is compatible with most consoles released in the 7th and 8th gen; older consoles are also compatible through the use of adapters or Brook's Retro Board. It's an interesting point to bring up because Brook came out with their very first controller which happens to be multi-console compatible. The Brook Mars Wired Controller is currently compatible with the PlayStation 3 & 4, Switch and PC via XInput. I see myself fully replacing my longtime faithful controllers, both the Logitech F310 and Saitek Rumble Force P2500, with a Brook Mars Wired Controller. So far my experiences using the Brook Mars have been great with nothing more than concerns. Every expectation I had for the controller was either slowly met or immediately exceeded.

 

Included with the Brook Mars controller is an approx. 10ft. micro USB cable and the three d-pad shapes 'cross', 'disc', and 'faceted'.

 

I don’t believe the Brook Mars Wired Controller was ever marketed as a fight pad; taking into consideration who Brook’s biggest demographic has been for previous products, but I found it perfect for other genres with the exception of platformers and brawlers which share a handful of foundations in their mechanics. Personally, typical scenarios where I find myself using gamepads on PC are for casual and couch gaming sessions. That doesn’t mean I also seek out games that offer the hand holding experience so I expect a controller that is able to deal with intense usage and allows me to conduct gameplay maneuvers consistently. The triggers and analog sticks have very good deadzones allowing them to comply with the needs of racing games or games where the character moves according to the pressure used. All of the buttons have no perceptible travel time in the middle of gameplay making actions happen as soon as you press something which is essential in platformers or games using menus that don’t halt the game.

 

The Brook Mars fitted with the cross shape. Looks closest to Nintendo's d-pad.

 

A huge factor many third-party controllers tend to fail on; probably on purpose in order to avoid patent lawyers coming after them, is the d-pad making it something I put so much emphasis on when deciding if a controller is gonna be my main input device or be used as a backup. The Brook Mars offers three shapes you can play with being a cross, faceted and a disc. The cross offers a very good reference point for what kind of precision you can expect from this controller if you’re into platformers. My only concern at all about this controller is the stiffness I experienced from the cross shape but oddly enough it registered the inputs just in time requiring some getting used to. The faceted shaped d-pad is pretty much a useless novelty aimed that recreating the XBO Elite d-pad. I was most surprised by how well the disc shape performed. During my tests with the d-pad shapes, I played Super Meat Boy, Super House of Dead Ninjas and Cuphead which all offer unique types of stress tests. Using Super Meat Boy, the cross and disc shape handled the wall hops with flying colors whereas the faceted shape was not up to the task making me miss many jumps. Super House of Dead Ninja is a fast-paced game that ties the d-pad to movement and directional based attacks, again the cross and disc both provided all necessary directional precision while the faceted d-pad had me more focused on my thumb placement. It was in Cuphead where I was torn between the cross and disc shape because it requires every technique to be timed and executed in a frame-perfect matter but both showed great promise in the long term. I used the DiRT games and Grid to test out the analog performance of the triggers and analog sticks seeing as these are the closest games I own to being realistic driving games. The sensitivity on these acceleration based inputs was so good, a light tap was all that was necessary to accelerate or steer the car. Overall, the Brook Mars has performed very well so far which makes it my favorite modern third-party controller.

 

The Brook Mars fitted with the disc shape. It's a very experimental shape and not seen very often in higher quality controllers. It's my default option.

 

The build quality of the Brook Mars Wired Controller can be best put as sufficient enough to compete with first-party controllers and I see this controller being just as durable too. Nothing about this controller feels cheap in any way, triggers have a smooth and soft resistance, sticks don’t have the super stiff feel and the d-pad is very precise but, again, takes time to get used to. Another aspect I find surprising is that it fits perfectly into my hand allowing a firm grip, not having any awkward edges or force me to hold it in specific ways. The red matte finish in the front and black rear are fucking awesome because those are my favorite colors to combine.

The Brook Mars fitted with the faceted shape. I have not used the XBO Elite controller in a game so I am not able to comment on the differences.

Honestly, I have always wanted to give this controller a try since last year because of a few reasons. There are no immediately available multi-console controllers out there with this kind of quality. I’ve been wanting to try a different controller that uses XInput on PC other than my Logitech F310. Lastly, this saves me money because it supports every platform that currently dominates my living room. I hope this review gives others a good enough idea of what caliber this controller is. You can definitely ask me about anything that did not satisfy your curiosity after reading this.

The Art of D-Padding

During the decades long before consoles established a foothold in the gaming industry, coin-ops were using arcade sticks to provide precise input for games and many genres would be designed around them; with some games evolving around them. As we moved forward in the industry, Atari would be one of the few console companies to exclusively use Joysticks in their controller designs until the crash of the gaming industry. During the revival, non other than Nintendo would design the extremely popularized and patented D-pad shape. Sega and Sony would follow suit and design D-pads for their first-party controllers which would also become standardized across the gaming industry. D-pads have come a long way going through a nearly limitless amount of experimental phases catering to specific player's needs and requirements. Some gaming enthusiasts have sworn by one D-pad shape their whole gaming career, casual gamers could care less as long as it gets the job done. I find myself in a position where even when I might have found what could be the most versatile D-pad, I find greater joy in simply trying out every peripheral that comes my way exploring its quirks.

D-pad research stems deeply in the theoretics realm because each player uses their thumbs differently. Besides, how often are you paying attention to your D-pad unless you’re looking for something to blame for your setbacks? It's a big list of speculative ideas that renders one shape redundant between a particular set of players while being perfectly fine for another set. This is where benchmarks become extremely handy and some games provide a decent amount of feedback that could help define what D-pad shape your thumb is going to work well with. In all of my benchmarks, fighting games are the last genre I will use because of the undeniable fact that this genre has been heavily influenced by arcade sticks, disregarding how many amazing D-pad players exists. I am of the belief that the most reliable testing can be performed on platformers with fast gameplay and are heavy in frame-perfect execution. What I personally look for in D-Pad shapes is long-term comfort while guiding the character through any given direction and the adaptability to my thumb allowing for proper and precise execution of direction and techniques. With that said, I am not claiming to be a competitive player, all statements made in this article originate strictly from observations made over the decades of gaming I have under my belt; documented or not.

[Note: The use of the term "shape" specifically covers the geometry of the D-pad.]

As more games are released, my lineup of benchmark games tends to change as soon as I find one game suiting the purpose better than the previous entry. Every game on my list provides the opportunity for frame perfect execution of certain techniques without fail in order to test the adaptability of my thumb to the shape. Each game must also do their job of highlighting key platformer marks required to get the feel of a D-pad for myself.

[Note: Here are some example questions I would ask myself while experimenting with a new shape
•How many times can I execute that technique consecutively?
•How well is my muscle memory adapting to the shape in order to execute techniques I’ve had down to the frame in the past?
•Is this shape comfortable enough for long sessions?]

While not genre defining at all, Super Meat Boy represents platforming in the rawest form which is why it's the very first game that comes to mind every time I encounter a new D-pad out in the wild. It will most definitely teach you to appreciate how far the horizontal flexibility of a good shape will get you in this game since the majority of the motions are almost exclusively left and right. This is where the underlying mechanism can come into play; Did the controller designers care enough to put a functional D-pad that is not plagued by misinputs or if it’s there for secondary functions? On a side note, horizontal flexibility is one reason I stray away from fighting games for shape feedback. Abilities like Ryo's Zanretsuken, which requires extreme horizontal precision and timing prove to be strenuous on D-pads, especially in the middle of a match, but is really easy to pull off on an arcade stick. On a fresh set of un-calloused thumbs, this consistently proves to be far too stressful but might otherwise make for a great horizontal flexibility test for people that use controllers in fighting games.

Cuphead is a multi-purpose entry in my benchmark roster because it brings about many elements from different 2D genres, not just platforming. Simply being able to comfortably beat a boss or run 'n gun stage without stressing out my D-pad or thumbs is a huge plus. It’s very hard to think of a game that can satisfy multiple needs that much at once so if you're looking for a reliabilty or versatility test then look no further than this gem right here. Another game you may want to experiment with for versatility is Duck Game due to its heavy use of the d-pad for certain maneuvers where a great shape will give you an edge at your next couch gaming kickback.

One game that might rival Super Meat Boy in the horizontal flexibility department is Super House of Dead Ninjas, but the reason it's one of my benchmarks is also because many actions outside of movement are tied to the D-pad. Other games that will provide similar feedback for directional based functions are Volgarr the Viking and Rivals of Aether. The D-pad is a tool there to assist you, not work against you. So when it comes to execution of directional specific actions, the shape will tell you right away how well it is willing to lend itself for that purpose.

[Note: D-pads that hold a permanent place in controller lineup are Sega’s for Genesis and Saturn and Sony’s SCPH-1080’s D-pad.]

During the Christmas of 2018, I came into possession of Brook’s Mars Wired Controller which is compatible for the Sony PlayStation 3 & 4, Nintendo’s Switch and PC. It comes with three Interchangeable cross, faceted and disc D-pad shapes. The cross shape takes inspiration from Nintendo’s own shape which has seen many revisions since the NES. Out of the three, the cross shape surprisingly falls short from a point in overall performance due to the stiff feel during gameplay even though all inputs register yet there is a lack of feedback. The faceted shape takes its form directly from the Xbox One Elite D-pad. I could not find any platformer or fighting game that lent themselves well to this shape, but in 3D games that let you use the D-pad for movement, like a racing game, fared sort of well but still not satisfactory. Finally, the disc shape was the least expected shape to perform to my liking. It’s super versatile and provides the comfort I seek in D-pads. I was able to fly through many of the early Cuphead levels trancing away from the thought that I was exercising a D-pad.

Logitech is much more known in the personal and business computer space but has also been around since gaming on a PC was being taken more seriously. If a genre exists on PC that requires expensive or specialized peripherals to get ridiculous levels of immersion, Logitech has something for you. The Precision and Dual Action Rumble Pads featured a D-pad shape similar to Sega’s which the F310/F510/F710 controllers also have. It’s one of the most versatile D-pads in existence and I hope that Logitech’s next controller follows the formula. Considering it shares this shape with fightpads who also took inspiration from the Genesis 6-button controller, there’s no question this is what you want to check out first if you’re new to PC gaming or just looking for a new controller. F310 controllers are extremely cheap to replace as well but do not offer the rumble function from F510 (discontinued) and F710.

Strictly an honorable mention, but Saitek’s P2500 Rumble Pad is a truly underappreciated controller that I have never heard praise about. Let's forget about the fact that it has analog sticks, the D-pad is why you’re even gonna look at this controller. Again, it all boils down to versatility, something other non-round shaped D-pads fail to offer me. It’s a shape that does appear to be functional but it pulls off every technique without fail. Whatever you wanna try, it does it satisfyingly well. I wish an XInput compliant version was released since x360ce does not work well with a few games though.

So what are your favorite D-pads? Are there any games that would also make great benchmarks?

Gaming on PC: "It's time to split!"

‘Shared Screen’ and ‘Splitscreen’ are non-network methods that allow multiple people to play a game using one machine, and typically one display. For a long time, these features were mostly exclusively found on home consoles and arcade games, making it nearly impossible to satisfy a niche breed of PC gamers seeking this feature. Today, you can easily find huge catalogs of PC games that include this feature on Steam and GOG. Accessories have also come a long way in the PC gaming market that helps make couch co-op extremely accessible. Although, in today’s market, video games are pretty much a guaranteed success if they include an esports oriented online multiplayer component. Yet we have a dedicated scene of indie developers and sometimes AAA developers that manage to integrate local multiplayer, even though it's a considered a novelty today. I tend to place myself in the spectrum of players who prefer games with LAN and Shared/Splitscreen, as they offer a more personal and tangible experience.

One of the early reasons why Shared/Splitscreen was popular is it allowed convenient head-to-head action in arcades. Arcade games were competitive by nature whether they were single or multiplayer. People would huddle around the big name games like Pac-Man and Galaga to watch players conquer high scores or join their peers in versus and cooperative games such as Street Fighter II and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. 

Consoles had a similar motion of events experienced on PC, where the greater focus was on the single-player experience with few somewhat successful attempts at having more than two players sharing a screen on a single console. Bomberman and several other games contributed to the popularity of local multiplayer with more than two players on the console market but wouldn't make headlining impact until later on. It wasn’t until the 90s and early 2000s that couch gaming sessions really took off in the form that I have come to love. Consoles like the Nintendo 64, GameCube, Xbox and Dreamcast had built-in 4-player ports. PlayStation 1 & 2 had a proper and more refined accessory known as the multitap which enjoyed much more success than previous attempts at external multiplayer adapters. There were so many flavors of games using this combination of accessories and the local multiplayer feature coming from every direction. It went as far as a few games achieving more success on home consoles than the arcades because of this. At this same period in time, the PC gaming market was going through a renaissance of technology making a huge jump in graphical capabilities surpassing consoles and setting the template for arcade hardware, which was just the beginning.

PC Gaming around this time was starting to enter the mainstream market thanks to certain manufacturers offering cheap PCs. LAN gaming sessions were dominating this ecosystem, but we still would not see major efforts for single machine local multiplayer in the majority of commercial games with the exception of emulation and a handful of indie games.

Fast forward to today, you can hook some controllers up to a desktop or laptop and enjoy countless games using Shared/Splitscreen as the main or secondary feature. There is hardboiled evidence that a market exists for the feature on a platform long stigmatized as being a peerless experience unless you were at a LAN event or playing a multiplayer game over the internet. It’s understandable that most PC gaming setups are optimized for individual use and are, therefore, not ideal for clusters of people even if the controller supply meets the demand. Which begs the question: Am I wrong for partaking in a phenomenon that consists of grabbing a few friends, my rig, a power cable, HDMI cable, and the required controllers to play games like Ultimate Chicken Horse, Risk of Rain, Broforce and other amazing games on the living room television?

People have been connecting their computers to huge displays (including projectors) just to play games for a long time. What has really hindered many enthusiasts from using those bigger displays regularly was high input delay and most sets being limited to 60hz. Nvidia has unleashed their BFGD (Big Format Gaming Display) technology into the hands of manufacturers like Asus and HP to produce 65” gaming grade displays offering G-Sync and 4k at 120hz+ all with low input delay and a built-in Nvidia Shield. The effort companies are putting into offering the PC gaming market bigger displays than was previously available makes me think they were also seeking to enhance local multiplayer sessions on PC.

When it comes controllers, we have always had an overwhelming range of options, but the optimal choices today would have to be any controller that supports the XInput API as it has become the standard in modern PC games with native controller support. My current recommendations all support the XInput API and they are as follow. First up is the Brook Mars Wired Controller for its ability to work natively on Sony and Nintendo consoles but also uses XInput when connected to a PC. Regardless of its budget range price, you get solid first-party build quality and my favorite aesthetic aspect is the hybrid shape combining the Switch Pro grip and DualShock layout coated in a beautiful matte red. Second in line is both of Logitech’s F310 and F710 (F510 has been sadly discontinued) which offer DirectInput and XInput APIs making them a versatile choice if you need a controller that has the best compatibility across the PC platform. These also offer the familiar DualShock layout which is trendy amongst controllers aiming to be versatile. There is no third recommendation so I would like to know what you guys use in your sessions and why.

At my local multiplayer parties, we always have a blast no matter what game or platform I load up but it’s hard to ignore the fact that there are many underappreciated reasons (to enjoy this method of playing games on PC than on consoles. I prioritize performance over anything so if I can play the same game on PC, guess what I’m gonna do? There is also the question of mods, not all PC games have official modding tools so there will be games with crude mod implementations. Regardless, in both cases you can expand upon the content you enjoy with your friends beyond what the game shipped with. Serious Sam Fusion is a merge of all the content in the Encounter HD remakes and Serious Sam 3 including DLC. Rolled over from Serious Sam 3 are mod support and splitscreen; which were not available in the official Encounter HD remakes, making it the perfect example of what a great PC game should be that suits our purpose. Following up with a list of amazing games is redundant at this point because I’m sure you understand why this feature is important and needs much more awareness than it probably has right now.

I can go on and on about games that lost plenty of potential by not including our beloved feature but only one game really burned me up to think about. The Mean Greens is a third-person shooter that takes direct inspiration from Army Men: Sarge’s Heroes’ multiplayer. What made the console releases of Army Men immaculate was the splitscreen, even if the series on PlayStation never went beyond 2-players. I almost want to say Warhawk on PS3 was the real spiritual successor to Army Men even though there are no ties between the two series. Comparing both The Mean Greens and Warhawk while bringing up their most immediate differences, Warhawk allowed you to take up to three friends online in Splitscreen while The Mean Greens was stubbornly a ‘one person per account’ ordeal. While you can no longer play Warhawk through PSN, the last time I played there were servers are still getting filled up. The Mean Greens though? I have not launched the game for a while but I haven’t been invited to play since the hype of it died down and I can’t even launch it to play offline locally. Road Redemption is the spiritual successor to Road Rash; easily Road Rash 64 if we get into specifics, and it has fully integrated splitscreen so even when there’s no internet to play online, I have tons of modes to enjoy in my couch coop parties.

Today’s gaming market has seen a push for more online play over local. More and more games are no longer including LAN [unless the community petitions for it, a strife in and of itself], even competitive games where players are at the mercy of their internet connection to make split-second decisions. I treasure games that give some control to the players on how they want to approach their sessions and I have greater respect for a developer that includes local multiplayer if the game has a multiplayer aspect; because not all games require it to provide value. When developers neglect a portion of their potential demographic for the sake of numbers on any one given server, it hurts the product in the long run once the game’s prime is done and over with. What are your favorite local multiplayer games and which games have you wished included Shared/Splitscreen in some form or another?