Alan Partridge: Every Ruddy Word (2013)

 Ah-ha!

 

Alan Partridge is the famous Steve Coogan character, now well over 30 years old but still popping out every couple of years with a special. Collected in this book are the complete scripts of the regular shows. Even though the character was born in The Day Today sketch show, only his standard Partridge shows are collected, from Knowning Me Knowing You and beyond.

As always with these books I'm amazed at how well written everything is, to the point it comes alive while playing in your head. Whether I remembered the episodes or not, it was always a thrill. This is particularly surprising considering the character, despite brilliant writers and directors contributing to it, as well as its co-stars, has always been a Coogan vehicle. Even so, it still shines on, you can hear his voice in your head, and, moreso, see his daft expression.

 This sort of humour is hard to describe, part mockumentary it predates The Office by about ten years (surprising to imagine this). It's the highly faulty hugely self-obsessed character comedy, perhaps leaning more into "ha-ha" than Gervais would later on. As it's such a long running character that, at the same time, accompanied Steve Coogan's rise from young comedian to Hollywood star, it's also a boon to be able to read back to where it all began and see how everything evolved until now.

I love script books, can't get enough of them. I'm more entertained than watching it on TV. I hope to find more!

February 2025 wrap-up

In February 2025 I....

 

Played: Darius Cozmic Collection (2021); G-Darius HD (2022); Guardian Force - Saturn Tribute (1998; 2022); Assetto Corsa (2014); Steel Empire (1992, 2018); Rolling Gunner (2018); Shooting Game KARI (1997; 2022); Strikers 1945 (1995, 2020); Zero Gunner 2- (2001, 2020); Drainus (2022)

Got: The Sea Will Claim Everything (2016); Thaumistry: In Charm's Way (2017).

Favourite: The top 3 is Assetto Corsa, TRIZEAL Remix and  Drainus... while I played Assetto Corsa more, the favourite has to be Drainus. It's familiarly nostalgic but at the same time so innovative it's hard not to be enchanted with it. Assetto Corsa is a different beast but ended up with some niggles (perhaps due to excessive play) - the gameplay is certainly there but some of its more "gamey" aspects get in the way of the experience - unlike the wonderful long gone F355 Challenge.

Read: The Dictionary of Imaginary Places (1980, 1999); Teddy Boys: Post-War Britain and the First Youth Revolution (2024); SEGA CD Summer (2022); GameCube Anthology (2018); Alan Partridge: Every Ruddy Word (2013).

Got: Memoirs Of A Mangy Lover; Terry Jones' Barbarians: An Alternative Roman History; Terry Jones' Medieval Lives.

Favourite: Not a great month for reading. The Dictionary of Imaginary Places is, of course, a brilliant book but too uneven to consider it a classic. The Alan Partridge script book, as all script books, is good but the character itself is a bit grating. In the end, I always have a soft spot for amateurish books with a lot of heart so SEGA CD Summer, being a novel, ended up providing a different and original view that was entertaining and didn't overstay its welcome.

Listened to (new): nought

Got: nought

Favourite (new): nought

Final thoughts: This month the enthusiasm seems to have died down a bit. Reading was ample but the books were generally long and not filled with gems. The games were very one-sided with shooters with a big dose of driving simulation. Reading back my January wrap-up I can confirm that while I tried to play more music, I didn't feel very into it and listening is still in the pits.

This was a month marked by significative professional changes and perhaps the hectic lifestyle added to the lack of interest. It also spurred an interest in offline activities as I'm waiting to fulfill the old dream of learning to ride a motorcycle. And, even in the last couple of days I've been turned on to other activities like small plane flying or boat driving.

Writing has also beenin the pits, perhaps due to having burned myself out. I am satisfied that with only two months gone this has already been the most fruitful year this blog has add in blog posts alone.

I have also stuck with buying less games. It's true I bought my first two games of the year this month but they were for a pittance. I have also reduced my wishlist to just 3 very modest games that, even still, I will wait for a sale on. I can say that currently I'm not really looking forward to playing anything. I do still have about two columns worth of installed games but I can surely keep playing old favourites and ones I already have that I haven't gone far in.

I have also stuck with evicting the Az book store and in a very satisfying way. We'll see how it gets on with new books or self-published ones in the coming months...

The games I played perhaps reflect the need to shut off my brain. Shoot'em ups and driving games are great for precisely this reason: you get in the zone and just think about doing as best as you can with no story distractions or complex mechanics or thinking. In the end, though, the feeling of having played just to pass the time creeps in, as apart from becoming good at the specific games, there's no significative cultural gain. As for books as I said, it wasn't a great month. The Imaginary Places book and the GameCube book were very long and uneven. Alan Partridge's book was good but perhaps the script book I have enjoyed less, perhaps because the series is somewhat less than a classic. As for music I keep just listening in the car. But because of now having a shorter commute, I have probably listened even less. I keep my YouTube block going... It will be one year next month.

In March perhaps with a hotter weather I will feel more comfortable playing (it really is not a great instrument to play when it's very cold or very warm). I plan to go through a few more shoot'em ups before I give a go to something else - perhaps later in the month. I'm looking forward to reading the books I got this month in March. I have always loved Groucho's writing (I was intending to re-read the three I already have) and I have never read a Terry Jones book - mixing this with History as a favourite subject should be a bonus. What is my goal? I perhaps won't set a goal but one of these days, a weekend, I will have to commit to logging in to YouTube and catch up. I'm sure that'll kickstart some great music I've been missing out on. And hopefully by this time next month I will have ridden a motorbike for the first time or, at least, about to. Fingers crossed!

Yet more shooting games (SG Kari, Strikers, ZG2-, Drainus)

Shooting Game KARI (1997; 2022): This is a barebones verical doujin shooter, a commercial adaptation of the original from 1997. With this knowledge in mind you have to admire that the adaptation is well made. The menus are slick and it plays very well in 4K. There is a lack of screen and controller options but otherwise it's functional if a little barebones.

The gimmick here is the ability to choose a wide or straight shot at will (indexed to different buttons). And that's it: no powerups, no levels, no bombs. You have a health bar which is still a rarity and an interesting scoring system that values the risk taking behaviour of shooting closer to the enemy. While the health bar might make it seem like it's more forgiving, take care as there are no extra lives or continues: when it's over, it's over (but the shield refills after each stage).

Visually it's not great. The designs are very bland, the bullets are almost ridiculous and the explosions very fake-looking. However, if there's one thing you can count on doujin games is a lot of inventiveness. The game totally takes you by surprise. The first couple of stages are so disalarmingly simple that you get completely blown away by how incredible the next ones are. There's an element here of old Toaplan (apart from the spirit crushing it reminds me a lot of my favourite Slap Fight), as there's a lot of emphasis to keep moving and a lot of unpredictable and untelegraphed attacks that always keep you on your toes. Key to this is the small size of your craft, as well as the small size of bullets. This allows you to weave gracefully, confidently and fortuitously and keep avoiding and shooting without cluttering the screen with information you don't need.

While the boss designs, like the enemies, are very bland sprites, the attack patterns keep getting better and better. There are three difficulty levels and a practice mode. The presence of the health bar and no lives or continues ends up giving the game a special boost in the adrenaline department. Being close to death will have you grinding away to beat the stage so you can refill, giving more of a survival hue to the action. You're not dependent on the luck of a powerup or amassing lives. The fine line between game on and game over makes for an exhilarating experience especially in conjunction with the quick evasive controls and concentrated shooting. In the end, this is a very interesting, shoot and run, game. Very simple at heart, very visually unimpressive but the meat of the game is all there, in a well made addictive package full of play. What's even better? The game is completely free to download. Amazing.

 

Strikers 1945 (1995, 2020): This is an arcade game through and through. Short stages, lovely animations and impressive graphics. Gameplay is solid if unspectacular. You have a regular shot and bomb, which you can upgrade with a few options. Death gets you a running restart but downgrades you back to the pea shooter. This is equal to a game over situation sometimes as the base gun is close to useless during late stage.

This is another great edition by City Connection. Lots of controller, game and screen options. Unfortunately, no 4K mode is available. The setting is not a straight war game like 1942 but offers a more cybernetic take with lots of giant robots about too. I'm not much for jingoistic settings but I felt this was one of the more harmless ones. However, it's not terribly appealing either.

Due to the short stages there is a lot of variety. Compounded by this are a lot of different fighters to select, which play marginally different. The meat of the game is the score attack. While beating it by itself is a problem, doing so while maximizing score is quite another. The biggest issue really is with death leaving you helpless in the battlefield. This is not aided one bit by the relatively large size of your hitbox, which makes avoiding things, particularly with the festival of animations going around you and in the background a real challenge. Perhaps to aid to the impressive visuals bullets are often quite fast - faster than your aircraft, in fact. So it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the unfairness.

In all, I didn't find much to enjoy here that I couldn't enjoy in other shooters. But if you're into the setting, this is a really solid and well-made shooter, with impressive visuals and animations and quick gameplay, all in a very modern reissue package. Perhaps one of the least original of Psykio's games but at the same time one of the slickest arcade experiences they made.

 

Zero Gunner 2- (2001, 2020): Technically this is an identical re-release to Strikers from City Connection. Still no 4K, but plenty of other game, controller and screen configurations. This is a great looking, 3D, Naomi-era game. Thematically it's not too dissimilar to Strikers with its militaristic giant robot slant (now in 3D). The gimmick now is that you control one of three choppers. This means that this is one of the rare vertical shooters with a 16:9 screen. Why? Because you can rotate at will, like a chopper would, turning this into a multidirectional shooter stuck inside an arcade type vertical shooter.

Unfortunately this doesn't work with analog sticks. Rather, when you press the turn button, you turn instead of moving. While this must read as more complicated than it should, it actually makes sense mechanically in the context of the helicopter gimmick. So, this isn't like a simple free moving object, but a heavy object that goes in a direction, but needs to be operated to turn. It adds complexity, of course, but that complexity works in the game's favour (otherwise it would be too mindless).

Presentation is great. I have a soft spot for the bright, crisp Naomi board graphics and this looks as good as any. Gameplay is often interrupted by dramatic cutscenes that still look impressive and energetic. The rotation mechanic might feel weird at first but it actually controls pretty well. This means, of course, that enemies come from all sides. Avoiding stray bullets or even barging into enemies is a challenge in harder difficulties, of course. Gameplay is otherwise pretty simple with a shot and bomb, and the ability to upgrade them. Enemy and boss designs are not great at first but increasingly become more impressive. Like in Strikers the best is left for last, and the "King Kong" boss and stage, and especially the elevator stage are particulary impressive.

Like Strikers the game suffers from its uninteresting setting. Militarism is a dime a dozen and ditto giant robots. The gameplay is more compelling but one wonders if it wouldn't sit better in a different skin. As it is it's a fine game that is definitely memorable from its original mechanics and impressive arcade like bells and whistles and gameplay that clash highly with its rather forgettable setting. The high octane impressions will however live long.

 

Drainus (2022): This is a really interesting and impressive take on the horizontal shooter genre. While menu presentation is sparse, as soon as you begin you find the game is peppered with lots of visual detail. These are superbly animated sprites with 3D effects to boot. The action is very well set, very dynamic, with impressive enemy designs.There's quite an effort made with the story too. It's not terribly interesting of course, but offers a lot more than the average smattering we usually get.

Gameplay-wise this is nothing if not ambitious. Central to the gimmick is the ability to absorb energy shots and then release that energy into blasts. This means you have to manage when to expose yourself to enemy fire so you can use it to your advantage, without overloading your shield and take damage. Not only that but you can also upgrade your ship through a menu-based system between stages. This ends up being the most game-changing feature as it works unlike upgrades usually work in these games but more like an RPG: you collect power-up flasks and have lots of different ways to spend them on: shot variations, missiles (secondary weapon), options or even just upgrading your attack power or the strength of your shields. And, of course, a myriad of variations of these. This sort of depth is incredibly rare. 

The setting is not terribly exciting by itself although the story adds a lot of drama. Characters are anime-types but otherwise fairly passable. This is something else regarding the melding of set pieces, gameplay and graphical effects. There's a sense of gravity to the set pieces that translates beautifully to the designs and amazing 3D effects as well as gameplay. A superb section with a free-rolling camera in a huge space station that ended with a physics based puzzle before another fantastic boss battle was a particular highlight. Apart from that there's a sense of hommage present as the developers pay their dues to the greats of the genre, in particular Gradius and R-Type but even Starfox as well. The dramatic action actually tires one out, and the menu between stages is actually a welcome chance for a breather. Taking their liberties and not actually making an arcade game, they've managed to create something something that hits differently from an arcade game, but still provide plenty of thrills.

Apart from the huge replayability added by the depth of the upgrade system the campaign itself is quite long and there are also secrets to find and hidden story snippets. In all, this is a success. A marvelous, modern game that respects its origins but builds to the future in a complete package. It's really that impressive. Hard not to recommend!

Rolling Gunner (2018)

This a doujin horizontal bullet hell shooter game. Presentation is excellent although not fully optimized for 4K. On the other hand there are plenty of configuration settings, including gameplay, difficulty, screen and controller settings.

You have three ships to choose from: one having a wider shot but being slower to move, another having a narrower shot and faster to move, and another in between. Despite the simple controls gameplay is quite nuanced and sitting through the minute and a half tutorial is a good idea. You always have a firing option that always shoots in the opposite direction from where you move (move left, it shoots right, move up it shoots down, and so forth). This is usually used in slower shooters (R-Type, Gradius, Gynoug) where movement is more deliberate. In a bullet hell you necessarily have to move a lot in small areas, so the option is rarely firing to where you want it to. However, you can set it with the power shot, thus mowing down enemies more effectively. Mastering the positioning of the option and maximizing shot power is key as enemies come from all sides. As always you'll face an easier time if you mow down enemies as they appear and don't give them the chance to fill the screen with bullets. If you get hit, you auto-detonate a bomb to clear the screen so you'll get a fighting chance to start over (as long as you got bombs in stock).

Environments are colourful. Every stage is interset with an impressive cutscene that puts many games with a bigger budget to shame: they look fantastic. This is especially exciting and also gives a sense of progression and journey to the action. The enemy designs are often forgettable, going for a generic science fiction, giant robot style, with bosses usually having imposing design. While visually impressive, the rivers of bullets end up giving the feeling of a very underpowered character, which is unaided by the lack of power ups. As most bosses are generally static, you're basically just avoiding their bullets for as long as you can as your own bullets chink away at their vitality bar at a very low rate. Even in "casual" mode things get very tough indeed from the second stage on.

The patterns are fantastic and bullets are always very visible and not confusing with the background. The presence of a visual hitpoint on the player's character definitely helps maneuvering between bullets, and becoming better and more confident in weaving through. The setting is not as original as something like Mushihimesama but this is an incredibly solid package from gameplay to presentation to settings that, when you strip away its context, is the essence of bullet hell gameplay distilled to a very fine degree - here with the added bonus of excellent presentation and extensive configuration options that help improve one's skills, and even to apply said learned skills to other games of the same subgenre. Thus the game's small failings however are not its own fault but the faults of bullet hell per se. For these reasons it is otherwise probably my ideal recommendation for anyone wanting to get into bullet hell. Additionally, if you're already into bullet hell this might be one of the strongest examples of the genre. True that it isn't an arcade game originally but it has the fine weaving, the amazing bullet patterns, very impressive bosses in one of the most rounded packages available, especially from doujin developers. For those not interested in this subgenre it might be too much but still a solid game and worth a few entertaining attempts.

Steel Empire (1992; 2018)

 Steel Empire is a quirky horizontal shoot'em up that was originally released on the SEGA Mega Drive in 1992. It has a lot of things that set it apart. Starting with gameplay, despite being a horizontal shooter, apart from two short sections there aren't the usual environmental hazards. This is mainly due to, I suspect, its main gameplay feature: the ability to shoot backwards as well as ahead thus making level design usually with the player in a central position as enemies fly in from the right and left. Unfortunately, you can only ever shoot forwards OR backwards and never both at the same time. While interesting in theory, in practice it's a fiddly proposition especially in higher difficulties. The barebones button configuration does not allow using right and left triggers on a controller, which would be a lot less clunky and quicker to use than X and B on the Xbox controller configuration.

 But it goes on, this is one of the rare shooters with a life bar as well as the ability to recharge said bar via power-ups. Regarding firepower both ships just have one type of weapon. However, you can upgrade it up to twenty levels (by picking up 3 power-ups). As I alluded it to, there are two ships. One slow and strong, another fast and fragile. With these many options and gimmicks it's disappointing that the shooting never feels great. It only ever gets faster but as the enemies you face get harder, there isn't a sense of progression.

The final thing that sets it apart is the setting. This is a steampunk game so think trains, zeppelins, and biplanes. The planes especially are somewhat animalized as they flap their wings like birds. It's not exactly cutesy but somewhat toy or Disney-like and there's a similarity to Irem's In the Hunt, but not so richly animated. Then again this is originally a 16 bit console game, not an arcade game. For what it is, it's really quite good and very original. The character design is strong and charismatic. Yet the bosses are quite repetitive, and disappointing in their patterns, usually having you having to fly ahead or behind so you can shoot their weak points. The exception is the final (true) boss which is quite a delight and a surprise.

Presentation on this PC port is a mixed bag. On the one hand the graphics are quite overhauled from the 30 year old original. But the menus are bare and poor with very few settings available and cheap looking menus. It has, however, modest controller configuration (rather than none at all) and various difficulty settings. However, the game is very well upscaled for high definition, a tier above what most other smaller publishers have achieved.

In the end this is quite an original shooter, even if not everything makes sense as an innovation. Its different setting and replayability, having different difficulty settings and different ships, as well as a reasonably long campaign and hidden boss makes it a worthwhile investment of your time, especially if you're not into modern shooters or bullet hell. The game is very accessible to get into for newcomers too, perhaps an ideal starting point. Finally the original setting and presentation is still very fresh after all these years.

The Dictionary of Imaginary Places (1980; 1999)

This is a wonderful book, the kind you're grateful someone actually made this. This is, in fact, a compilation of imaginary places in fiction, from a wide berth of literature, from Homer to Rowling. Perhaps because the authors are Argentinian and Italian, it seems Umberto Eco and Italo Calvino's books, in particular the latter's Invisible Cities, were the great instigators to this work. On the other hand there are very few non-european or north american authors.

The dictionary is presented like an encyclopedia, in alphabetical order, a description of the place, occasionally a map or illustration, when it is so described and the reference work. The fact that the reference comes last is perhaps my only criticism as descriptions are long and often go beyond the same page. It makes more sense to me that they would list the original author and work right at the beginning, rather than having to skip to the next page and go back.

The authors' self-imposed rules are simple in that only locations on planet Earth and in the past or present are included: nothing in the future or other planets thus excluding a lot of science fiction and its more otherwordly themes. As you'd imagine there is a lot of JRR Tolkien but also the likes of Rice Burroughs, CS Lewis and non-English writers like Borges or Rabelais. It's a real treat that the authors took upon themselves to review such a wealth of literature and condense it in encyclopedic form, describing each location thoroughly in terms of place, population, customs and any other objective or subjective information. There is also an authorial feel to it. The commentary has an artistic slant rather the objectiveness to a fault present in most dictionaries. The illustrations are often surrealistic. And the selection as well, being in concept an unfinishable book has to take into account the sensibilities of the authors. Thus, rather than a dictionary it is something you can casually read from start to finish rather than just as a reference book.

The fact that it is centered on planet Earth and in present or past times was a good idea. The descriptions become a little more believable, with an air of surreality. In fact, I was often reminded of 80 Days or Savannah or the strange worlds from Cyan (Worlds) - themselves very familiar and human-like, but odd all the same - applicable, of course, to all fantasy realms. A limitation, due to the subject matter, is that even though there is the odd smattering of 18th and 14th century literature, the bulk is XXth century. As it is somewhat intrinsically related to a literature style, some periods are void of these sort of places and imagination. I found especially odd that they consider Middle-earth and Earthsea as being on Planet Earth, particularly as they take up quite a bit of entries by themselves. Perhaps due to being "earth" places? I will put it down as a director's cut type of decision...

I should also add that there are some non-literature entries, like film (Freedonia from Duck Soup), the land from Tannhäuser (play/opera) ... You would imagine a revised edition would include a few from video games. In all a real treat of over 700 pages (excluding index and references) which should appeal to any book afficionado.

Teddy Boys: Post-War Britain and the First Youth Revolution (2024)

 I would consider music to be my main hobby even though it seems I've been spending less time on it. Teddy Boys by Max Decharné is a brilliant book that is not just about music but about the entire phenomenon, from fashion, to gang violence to music. It reads as a historical document, from its origins in pre-WWI Britain, to the period between the wars, to post-WWII and its 1980s revival.

 This being both my second book by this author (A Rocket in my Pocket, about the rock 'n' roll and rockabilly tribes), as well as my second book on this subject (Teddy Boys a Concise History and Teddy Boy Wars) I have to say Decharné's writing stands out as being extremely well researched and insightful. When covering popular culture there's an usual knack for authors to either use only interviews or personal experiences, cite other modern books or even cite themselves - not so here as the material referenced is usually published at the time the events described were taking place, for example the first instances of the name "teddy boy" being used in newspapers, novels or film or the news reports on gang violence and criminal trials. This gives the book a very authoritative take on the subject, including its presence in other media like cinema and books, as well as its problematic association with crime and many instances of race riots - I would find it hard to imagine something better written or more in-depth. The subject itself is quite boundary-free, as most urban cultures constantly evolve and its a hard thing to try to compartmentalize it in order to seriously study it. 

This is then a story about the dawn of the teenager and how very specific world affairs, namely depression and war, gave rise to this revivalism of Edwardian England, created something which didn't exist in state before (the unworking teenager with disposable income) and how this trend was influenced by what was going on in America, particularly from the mid 1950s on, with the wave of rockabilly and rock 'n' roll, and then back again to America as Teds like The Beatles went on Beatlemania. Thus what was once confined to war rooms and Finance chancellors' offices now unfurled into the street to become a proper culture with an ethos, a look and a soundtrack, that itself was influenced by events elsewhere and in turned influenced back, somewhat becoming the cornerstone of popular culture in the second part of the XX century. Fascinating stuff.

In all, this is a brilliant read. If there's quite a fair few books on rock 'n' roll, teddy boy-ism, per se, is much less researched. That there is such a complete and well made book available is quite a bit of old luck, indeed!

SEGA CD Summer (2022)

 

SEGA CD Summer by Matt Adams

When I ordered this I thought I was ordering the same sort of "collection/anthology" historical book on the Mega Drive/Genesis add-on, as I had got one a few months ago on the 32X. To my surprise this a semi-autobiographical novel.

The tone is that of a slice-of-life of, I have to imagine, a typical north-american 12 year old kid during the Summer of 1994. The big premise is the trials and tribulations he has to go through to be able to afford the SEGA CD, particularly in becoming a paperboy and how he deals with his customers but also the relationship with his mom & dad, his brother and his friends. There's also a lot of summer baseball action that, quite frankly, goes a bit over my head as a sport I am not very familiar with.

The book is typo-free (always a plus in these self-published works) but there's otherwise not a lot of depth to the story. The big takeaways are really the nostalgia of what seems now a weird time and, I guess, the relationship he builds with his family and some off-the-wall episodes with his friends, family and neighbours.

There is some insight into videogame situation in that particular summer: the SEGA CD is out but the 32X and Saturn are incoming, and so is the Sony Playstation. The Atari Jaguar and the 3DO get mentions. Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat are the hit games. This is perhaps the most relatable part of the book as I also lived through 1994 as a Mega Drive playing kid. Some parts are somewhat jarring in the way that the author or the protagonist relates things as if he were in the present, with the knowledge of all that happened to SEGA, Sony, Nintendo, etc in the following 25 years.

There's also a huge bit on what Star Wars was in those times. The trilogy was already over 10-15 years old and the new ones still a few years away. Kids were fascinated by the films but had never watched them in the cinema. However, VHS tapes are now affordable. I have never been a big Star Wars fan but I remember that time the series was quite mythical. There weren't that many toys of it around as there are today, videogames on it were not that great but everytime it would show up on the regular channels on a saturday matinee or something, it was quite an event. Remarkably, there's also quite a bit of time dedicated to those summer movies, with Ace Ventura leading the pack. Surprisingly, no cartoons.

Finally, while we tend to think about the SEGA CD these days as a failed product that however, had a few remarkable games like Sonic CD, Afterburner, Snatcher, Lunar, Robo Aleste or Popful Mail. However, the announcement at the time made more sense than it does today in hindsight and, what the kids really wanted to play was not obscure japanese games but the same sports games, Star Wars and fighting games.
In the end this ended up being a light and pleasant read that I'm sure a lot of gamers who lived through these times might relate to. It's not Dickens or Melville nor I think does it intend to, but it doesn't offend and provides a vivid window into a forgotten time.

GameCube Anthology

 This is probably the only available book on this strange machine. The book itself presents a bit of conundrum in that it is quite uneven.
On the one hand, and comparing it with the Dreamcast Encyclopedia, it has an extensive coverage (I would go so far as to say it is too extensive, going far beyond what would be necessary or even interesting) on the machine itself: from the design stage, to announcement, bringing to market and discontinuing it, almost quarter to quarter in depth.
There's also an extensive look at the hardware itself, including its various accessories. This section presented, in my opinion the most jaw dropping pages that included photographs of every variation and special edition the console was available in, as well as the whimsical Panasonic Q variation.

On the other hand it suffers from a fatal characteristic that deals a fatal blow as an objective document: it's not impartial, as it's palpably written "in defense" of Nintendo. Even while presenting hard facts on sales the author would have you believe the Nintendo 64 and this one were an incredible success. But in case it wasn't it was the public's fault because Nintendo did everything right. This, as well as some awkwarding phrasing from a sometimes very literal translation from French, makes for some difficult reading.

This is compounded by the "meat" of the book: the full library of games. Here, especially when compared to the Dreamcast Encyclopedia, things become harder to stomach, as it's got loads and loads of poor licensed games. Amusingly the author decided it would be a good idea to rate each and every game from 1 to 5 stars - I can't see the point. Screenshots are usually small and low quality and only the usual suspects get more than a quarter page worth.

As it is, then, it's difficult to recommend wholeheartedly. It is both the best and worst GameCube book available. It's strength is in the incredibly in-depth feature on the machine itself - if you can battle through the Nintendo bias - while the photos of the machine and accessories are great. The section on the games themselves I would put it as a miss. As it is, it's a fans-only affair.

Assetto Corsa (2014)

Once there was a game called F355 Challenge, the greatest automobile simulator ever made. Apart from the luxurious 3 screen arcade cabinet, it was also ported to the SEGA Dreamcast and Sony PS2. However, it's been over 20 years.

In the past few years I have tried a few, which I've liked. Forza Horizon, New Star GP, WRC 10, Super Woden GP 2, Wreckfest... And in the more distant past I remember fondly Project Gotham Racing/Metropolis Street Racer and of course Gran Turismo.

It's surprising to think this one has come out already over ten years ago. Its barebones presentation belies its deep systems: this is a true simulation. By this I mean it is perhaps less gamey than other alternatives (although it has a career mode). Visually it looks great but not as impressive as some more recent games, especially the environments. The models are quite detailed, especially the indoor shots. Theses games however live and die by its systems. What we have here is the ability to go as deep as you want, including, of course, tinkering under the hood as well as controls.

What is refreshing is indeed its dedication to realism and the palpable feeling different automobiles give you puts you into that zone of working for the fastest time, perfecting your lines, shaving milliseconds and making the perfect lap for that car - then doing it all over again in a different one.

This is indeed the type where you become obsessive with perfection, much like a shooter, the casing becomes irrelevant and its the melding between eyes and fingers as you manipulate the machine to deliver the perfect response to the challenge the game's rules asks of you.

Above all, it's a game that you can perfectly just enjoy doing thousands of laps in a single car in a single track. In a way, the definition of the perfect game - infinitely replayable, always enjoyable, a classic experience. Sure the presentation could be finer, the graphics sharper, more cars or track available but F355 Challenge already answered the question (and I guess OutRun as well): one car, one track, a pair of eyes and a pair of hands is all you need. And to imagine there's a variety of modes.. and mods!..

Namco, Konami, Taito collections

I gave a go to a few compilations I already had in my library.

Contrary to what I remembered Namco's Museum Archives are not arcade games but rather the NES/Famicom versions. Thus, they're good versions because the original conversions were good versions but not the arcade classics. There's a great demake of Pac-Man Championship Edition on Vol 1. (Vol 2 has a new variation of Gaplus as an 8 bit game, which is more generic).

As they're NES/Famicom games it's a strictly two button affair on all. There are some QoL via emulation like save states but presentation is otherwise a little bare. 

In the end my favourites were Dragon Spirit and Druaga in vol 1 and Mendel Palace and Rolling Thunder (very Lupin) for vol. 2. Apart from that I had never realised how disgusting Dig Dug was!

I then tried Konami's Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection. This one is almost all shooters, and includes Japanese and overseas versions. Apart from great blown out high resolution art of Gradius on the splash page presentation is bare and disappointing. Even worse the emulations themselves seem problematic. I have never played Gradius on an arcade machine but there was some serious slowdown and it was not the Treasure-style slowdown for effect when there's a huge explosion. Graphics do not look crips and it made me check if these were also console conversions and not the arcade originals. The QoL improvements are also pretty bare. It was hard to have fun with it.

 

 

The company that handles these conversions are M2, which are very highly regarded. So I became suspicious, although these have by now a few years. Finally, I turned over to Darius Cozmic Collection. Thankfully they vindicated their reputation. This is an expensive collection (~40$) that only has three base games (Darius I, II and Gaiden) but with some variations (3 variations of I and 3 more of II). Darius is, of course, notable for its three-screen cabinet. And.... it's amazing. This isn't a game that has fantastic gameplay and the bosses themselves are quite disappointing. But the game is a visual statement piece that looks unlike any other thing out there with very appealing visual effects. Gameplaywise Gaiden is the best, but these are relatively simple games. The QoL improvements are also quite deep so, unlike the other two, there is a lot of things you can adjust to make it look, sound and feel as pleasant as you want.

The Dreamcast Encyclopedia

The SEGA Dreamcast is the last games console SEGA made, and was on the market for a relatively brief period between 1999 and 2001. It's a personal favourite of mine as it reintroduced me to console gaming after missing out on the 32 bit generation and was the home of what is still my favourite two games, Shenmue and its sequel.

This Encyclopedia is a very well produced book not as much on the console itself, on which it focus briefly, but its complete library of games. Of course a list of all released Dreamcast games is just a Wikipedia link away. What these sort of books live and die on are production values, namely screenshots, as well as genuinely insightful writing.

I'm pleased to say Chris Scullion's book delivers in all three measures. This an attractive and appealing hardcover bound book printed in high quality and in colour. Screenshots and photographs are large and clear, even on features that take only half a page. Several games also feature multiple insets. And, finally, the writing is indeed insightful with well-measured anecdotes on production or general reception of individual games as well as one or another personal account, without it taking over the narrative.

As this book tends to highlight nostalgia rather than uncovering rarities, more detail is given to games released in the West than Japan-only exclusives. A missed chance, in my opinion, due to the relative rarity in finding books dedicated exclusively to this console. In books such as these, while there are many classic Dreamcast games, and even with the lean catalogue of this console there will always be more early 2000s dross: think the usual sports and licensed games. For this reason, perhaps more insight into less known or talked about pieces would have been welcome.

In the end, though, a fine account, delivering exactly what it promises on the cover, and in style. Impossible not to recommend if you have any measure of a passing interest in the games made for this fascinating machine.

A few more shooting games (The Tale of ALLTYNEX)

Guardian Force - Saturn Tribute (1998; 2022): This is an original game by Success where, instead of the usual spaceship, you're in control of a tank. The tank is pretty zippy and controls pretty smoothly, The gimmick with controlling a tank, however, is the fact you can turn your turrets in 8 different directions. This freedom of aiming turns it into less of a shmup and more of a run'n'gun with vehicles, although in terms of stage design it leans closer to a shmup. Some set pieces and bosses, in particular, lean heavier on the multidirectional gimmick as you'll need to hit a critical point from the side or above.

The "Saturn Tribute" part of the title relates to the fact this is the SEGA Saturn version which, I have to imagine, is faithful to the arcade game but suited for a controller. As it is a re-release there is the usual CITY CONNECTION enhancements, including rewind, quick save, infinite credits, various screen and controller options and others. Graphically there's quite a bit of detail although the colour choice is somewhat dark and muted. Nonetheless it looks the part, with all the details of a 1990s japanese arcade game. 

Apart from the multidirectional turret, everything else is quite straightforward, with no more gimmicks. There is, however, a common sin, which is that bullets are often too similar to the background. As, per the design of the game, you're usually covering a range of terrain, too often you're getting blasted in the face by a bullet you barely saw coming. Personally, I couldn't stand its jingoism either. I can't really say why, but even though I don't have a problem with spaceships, tanks just seem a bit too much, and I couldn't stomach the free-for-all. As a run'n'gun shooter I think it would appeal to fans of the genre as it proposes something different in a convincing way and solid presentation.

 

The Tale of ALLTYNEX is a series of three doujin (Japanese amateur-made) games.

ALLTYNEX Second (2010; 2013): While tempting to classify it as great "for a doujin", the first impression of gameplay is that this has great production values. The setting is typical space sf but things look sharp and you're immediately thrust into action. In setting up the game world it is also apparent that a lot of effort was put into providing a cinematic experience which, here, is indeed surprising and very much welcome "for a doujin".

One criticism is the fact that, even though this is an original PC game, it is poorly optimized for PCs. Screen configuration is only accessible in a pre-start menu (although 4K resolution is available), and controls always show on screen as keyboard keys (it plays great on a controller, regardless).
Gameplay is sharp. There are no pickups to speak of and, surprisingly, no bombs either. However, apart from your rapid fire shot, you also have a power-dependent automatic lock-on, as well as a sword for close range. Bullets are visible, being bright against the darkness of space, and there is decent enemy variation. Deaths usually occur due to very aggressive enemies, which like to charge at you or appear right next to the lower part of the screen, shooting at you from all sides. There is some leniency in terms of your hitbox but you do not get infinite credits here. After two coins you're out. There is a practice mode for areas you've reached, to help you perfect your game.

Even in easy mode it gets relentless fast and one wonders if this isn't the case of trying to show off everything at the same time. The action is so relentless it's almost hard to take in as the developers seem to throw every type of enemy attack at you, all at the same time. It is certainly spectacular and impressive but it might be too much of a good thing. There are also a couple of niggles with presentation. Everytime you hit an enemy you earn points which appear in script on the screen. Due to the relentless action and the really quite large fontsize, it's just screen that's filled with things. Another is the strange 16:9 orientation of the screen, which takes some getting used to as everything seems especially cramped. Apart from the lock-on, which is limited by power anyway, there is not much hope of hitting enemies that are sitting wide from you, which is a point of frustration.

All the same a really impressive game that in terms of in-play presentation is really quite something but is otherwise hard to recommend unless for fanatics as its crushing difficulty aided by some of its design quibbles will swat everyone else away with ease.

RefleX (2008; 2013): Strangely, this one seems less advanced than the previous. It is now a sprite-based shooter but the designs don't look very distinctive. If anything, there's a feeling this was made in a shmup maker like Dezaemon. Weirdly there's no 4K option in this one and you can't seem to move in a diagonal. The shooting controls are also more streamlined: just shot and shield. The shield mechanic, however, is interesting. It's limited by a bar, and, while having it on, shots bounce back (the namesake reflex), doing damage to enemies.

This one is indeed hard to describe. It's still quite difficult but much of the difficulty also lies in its technical aspects. The position of the shot and shield buttons are not easy to use and the lack of diagonals make it extra hard to maneuver. The more you progress the more continues you earn for later playthroughs. This is somewhat strange in that you don't really get any better, just are able to continue for longer. So, it doesn't really reward better playing, just playing for longer.
The backgrounds are quite bland but there's a will there to add dramatics with quick camera changes and the inventive design of the bosses. This one might be the one that's great "for a doujin". However, while there was some hint of enthusiasm in ALLTYNEX, here the lack of attention to detail mars it somewhat.

Kamui (1999; 2013): This one has a slightly different layout than the others and, straight away, a big difference as the max resolution is 800x600. However, this does aid in presentation as it fits its lo-fi aesthetics. If anything this one comes out as an ultra ambitious doujin shmup. It's literally everything but the kitchen sink that's thrown at you, at all times. I can quite imagine the stir it caused in the scene back in 1999. But, taken on its merits, its overambitious zeal turns it into a tiring exercise.

Strangely enough, or perhaps as a persuasion for players to see the end and everything the programmers made, continues are infinite - this just doesn't work in these types of games as the difficulty is totally dismissed. Gameplay is interesting but also complicated due to its pressure sensitive use of keys. There is only one shot, although upgradable through powerups, but also a secondary shot that is a lock-on (quick press) or a laser blast (long press). As this secondary shot is dependent on the use of an energy bar, much more often than you'd want, you're spending the bar on a quick discharge of lock-on, when you wanted a long laser blast to take out a boss. As the bar takes its time to recharge, this can be dramatic in the face of death. Here again Siter Skain show their inventiveness in bosses. The namesake Kamui is certainly fantastic and deserves all plaudits coming from a doujin developer. Excellent stuff.

In the end though, Kamui is more interesting than RefleX which ends up living too much on its gimmick. ALLTYNEX is the star and shows how far doujinsoft can go with the right attitude and skills. These are all the same niche and ultimately hard to recommend if you're not already into these sort of games. For fans, then, it's the cream of the crop of amateur developed games, a very interesting trilogy that doesn't go for anime or danmaku and presents solid (if not hectic) action.

A few shooting games (Psyvariar and the four ZEALs)

Psyvariar Delta (2000;2018): I like it, and I usually don't like these thick carpet of bullet hell ones. As a plus, the mechanics are great. Instead of picking up power ups, you level up through XP, which will level up your arsenal. Apart from knocking down enemies, it also has a graze counter that will increase the XP gained. So it will reward more adventurous playstyles. However, on a vertical bullet hell shooter, basically you're either grazing every bullet or dying. It would make more sense if it was a little toned back. In a way, this seems like it would be played best on two player.

On the other hand, while there are three somewhat distinct planes to choose from (including Cybattler from Jaleco), which do indeed play differently, the enemies and levels are few and forgettable. To finish on a plus, at least it has a lot of customization options, from visual settings to gameplay. There is also a close up window to assist with positioning your character through the thick walls of bullets.

I'd say, if anyone's into bullet hell shooters over more traditional ones, it's hard not to recommend as a very interesting take, especially mechanically. It also does not have a cutesy or annoying style. If anything, it's a very bland sf style.

In a way it reminds me of Bullet Hell Monday or Shmups Skill Test. Like it has the skeleton of a very innovative shooter, but it's skinned with a bland looking costume. But when you're in the zone what it looks like doesn't matter. Just gameplay. For that reason, the more I played it, the better it got. In these games you start to make your own goals and your own rules. High scores, clears, etc. This just might be the one to get me into thick carpet bullet hell shooting games.

 

XIIZEAL (2002;2015): This one's a retro treat, with all that means in terms of presentation. In a way, it's a love letter to an older generation. Menus and all, it looks planted right from the Dreamcast, although plenty of screen customization options are available. While difficulty is an option, number of credits isn't. It's a full sprite presentation, which look absolutely gorgeous, on par with the best. The animations are impressive. Themain gameplay gimmick is the sideshot, which looks fantastic. Bombs, as well, are not traditional. Instead of clearing the screen they create a radius of invincibility that also clears bullets, which is helpful but not as much as bullets.

 

Perhaps due to being a retro hommage things are less danmaku in terms of thickness of bullets but the bullet speed is the thing that kills the most. That and, of course, enemies that come from the sides or behind (hence the point of having a sideshot). As always, learning bullet patterns is crucial to progress. Particularly impressive, especially for a sprite-based game, is that enemies have multiple individual hitboxes, especially apparent in bosses. They also don't have lifebars so the only indication of being close to victory is the fact that they get degraded or incandescent red.

As there are no infinite credits, you can train individual stages on score attack mode, to get the necessary skills to beat them later in the story mode. The world setting is not as exciting as Trizeal but the enemies are, perhaps, moreso due to being so well animated. In all, a fantastic tribute to an older era that exhudes its designers programming quality - a must in this sort of games.

 

DELTAZEAL (2002; 2015): Presentation-wise it's exacly the same as the others. We're back with sprites but everything is now "turned up to eleven". In a way, the evolution from the first game reminds me a bit of Metal Slug. The action is more intense and even on the easiest difficulties it's hard not to be slamming into opponents or bullets when they're coming left, right and centre. It's not really thick carpets of bullets or enemies, but the sheer speed of it all. The fact that, again, everything is so well animated (again mirroring Metal Slug) eventully adds to the challenge because there are so many things moving at the same time.

The gameplay is changed as well. The sideshot is gone and three types of weapons (wide, missile and laser) are introduced. However, instead of  just choosing between the three you're actually always wielding a mix of the three. So if you've picked up 2 wide powerups, 5 laser powerups and 3 missile powerups your weapon will mostly push out a midpowerful laser with a bit of auxilliary wideshot and missiles. In theory, this is a great idea and it's certainly an intelligent change of pace. In practice, however, due to the hectic pace unless you're ridiculously skilled you'll probably always have a hodgepodge of powerups and not much strategy to it. It would definitely fit a more ponderous type of game and not something that is all-out action.

The spectacle definitely contributes to its difficulty. Bullets (yours and the enemies') are multicoloured, there are coloured bonus points pickups flying around, as well as the power up pickups. When you shoot down an enemy it normally elicits an explosion animation which makes it look like more projectiles coming around. And enemies also have a tendency to appear on the lower part of the screen and shoot point blank at your direction. Also the camera sometimes moves or stops on its own for a cinematic set piece. In motion it's all beautiful with some of the slickest 2D graphics and animations. But death gets pretty cheap in this confusion and sometimes it's even hard to see what hit you. As it's so hectic, it isn't also a case of just learning the level because you'll be needing to maneuver quite fast and most enemies target you directly. In the end, this one might just be a case of too much of a good thing. It hones everything about the first game but makes it a monster only the most dedicated will conquer. To the point that it might be only recommended for hardcore players. For everyone else, it's probably too fast and too intense, but an insane ride and spectacle all the same.

 

TRIZEAL Remix (2005; 2016): Sharing the same menu presentation and options of the previous, the game is, however, somewhat different. Now it's a full polygon-based presentation. While it loses some of its timeless appeal, it is ridiculously cinematic and looks among the best Naomi-board style games. Fair play as well to bullet design. Every shooting game player knows how annoying it is when you can't tell the bullets from the background or other enemies, leading to unnecessary deaths. Well, here bullets are all incandescent white, making it easy to see.

 

Gameplay design is tight but not especially innovative. You only have one ship, pick up powerups and points and can change from wideshot to narrower shots in three tiers, at will. This one's a bit of halfway between traditional shooters and bullet hell. You have your patterns but, especially in later parts of each stage, things can get quite messy on screen. A lot of detail has gone into how the game looks and everything is quite exciting, like the best polygonal shooters.

Even in the easiest modes it's quite difficult, mirroring its origins as a bonafide arcade game. Chiefly explaining that is the relatively unforgiving hitbox, plus the fact that bullets, while quite visible, are also quite large. Hitting an enemy will also destroy your ship. As credits are limited, one mistake can prove costly. The stage designs here are brilliant. The 3rd stage where you undertake an assault on a huge spaceship is particularly thrilling. The exciting designs entice the player to push himself further, to see the stages yet unseen and finish the game. Scoring comes later.

In all, a brilliant game, certainly one of the highlights of its generation, when decent shooters started becoming scarcer. Not as innovative or beautiful as Ikaruga (but then again, which other games are?) but just something quite solid, clean and thrilling, certainly in the league other polygonal favourites like RayForce and G-Darius.

 

EXZEAL (2016): This one continues the legacy of Trizeal but yet again tries something a bit different.The main difference now is the weapon system which is quite complicated, offering you four vastly different types, including side and back shots or charge shots. However, these are not equipable during gameplay but only in the beggining or at the end of every credit. Despite being the more recent game, its graphics look somewhat muted compared to Trizeal, perhaps reflecting its more opressive setting. Things are also quite a bit less cinematic and more straightforward, presentation-wise.

 

What is not straightforward, however, is the gameplay. The gimmick this time around is mostly about destructable parts and even physics-based gameplay. Of the first, now a few enemies and not just bosses are composed of various parts and some also have specific "bulbous red" hitpoints which are their only vulnerable part. More often than not they're protected. How to get at them? Why by shooting at them at an angle, gradually giving them rotation and thereby tilting them around to destroy them. Brilliant stuff! In a way, quite the G-Darius evolution in terms of handling polygons on a shmup although some of Ikaruga is also here, especially with the more static-based situations, like boxes and labyrinths. The physics-based gameplay keeps this game fresh and original.

In a way, this one is the less spectacular one but, where it matters, the most advanced. A real player's game. Quite interesting as well to see how they handled evolution. From XIIZEAL to DELTAZEAL as a XIIZEAL on steroids, to reworking everything on Trizeal, and then delivering a really progressive sequel. Difficulty-wise its on par with Trizeal although the challenge is really in mastering four quite different weapon systems and almost counting on losing a credit to change system halfway through, as some are better than others for specific levels.

Cocoon (2023)

 

Cocoon was one of the nicest surprises of 2023. Developed by one of the designers of puzzle platformers Limbo and Inside it is a brilliant exercise in puzzle design centering on managing increasingly more complex moving parts within strange, bio-mechanical, worlds.

It shares with Limbo and Inside a few traits: the lack of written or oral context (although the story is not really as dramatic here), the simple controls with just directions and a single action button, the timing-based puzzles and the instant-kills that send you back to checkpoint, which here are more frustrating than they were jarring in its predecessors. These last two features are a way to inject some action and tension into the normally more laidback procedures of puzzle games. Indeed, if anything, you zip along pretty quickly and progress quite rapidly with various puzzles coming quick and fast. There is rarely the need to pause for a moment of introspection and the action controls keep you always on the move.

Although the story explores themes of escape and transformation and the infinitely large and infinitely small, much like Inside, here the lack of context voids the story of a sense of meaning or purpose. Since there is not much of a story, the four worlds you explore and manipulate happen to be the main feature and the only unifying measure of context to everything that unfolds. You play an insectoid who, by an unknown reason, is granted a power to activate certain platforms and helpers. Pretty early on you’ll be able to dive into different worlds, which are thematically different and, even better, jump out of them, carry them on your back and while doing so jumping into another world, thereby creating worlds within worlds.

The puzzles are mostly platform based: activate a setter here, that’ll allow you to traverse a platform, then go and pick up a world to set it ahead, and so on. This mechanically satisfying progression (aided by the simple, zippy controls and a great amount of logic in execution) is punctuated by boss battles. These are similar to The Legend of Zelda type ones, meaning they’re also action-based puzzles, often relying on timing and with various phases, each trickier than the last. One wrong move and you’re booted back to the beginning of the battle.

As they’re so central to the game, it’s worth arguing about the puzzle design. In the end, perhaps because it’s my second time around, instead of the “ha-ha!” moments, there is a sense of just being led by the designers to see clever bits, but that are not rationally demanding. The world is contorted to conform to the puzzle design, instead of the other way around. This is perhaps hard to explain or ultimately unfair to the designers but while certainly well designed and, I’ll say it again, mechanically satisfying to manipulate, the impression most puzzles give is that the designers wanted to show off their designs and we’re just playing through them, as if the puzzles only exist for the sake of existing. They are perhaps too transparent, and more of a spectacle.
As I’ve started this month with two other puzzle adventures, in Creaks and Obduction, perhaps it would be an interesting exercise to compare these three. In these other games, there is more of the feeling of conquest of the fiendish puzzle – often times conquering it despite the efforts of the designer to stop you! In games of this nature it is a crucial effort. If it doesn’t feel earned, it transmits the feeling of pointlessness. Thus, while in Creaks and Obduction the game world was certainly as important as it is here, but the puzzles were a way to hide the world and every puzzle solved was a way to inch further, go deeper and unravel the mystery, here solving a puzzle is often rewarded by spectacle, but no real purpose. Our character’s certainly going somewhere but there is rarely a sense of accomplishment. Even with bosses it’s hard to understand why you’re being attacked and why you should attack back.

One of the most annoying things are some heritage from modern design, namely controller vibrations that are too violent and frequent (thankfully they can be turned off) and visual effects that are too intense. This is a game that has a certainly unique and interesting visual design but not cutting edge graphics. However, it makes the GPU whirr, which is surprising. There is then some sense that, while the graphics and animation give life to this strange world, there was no need, mechanically speaking, to justify all of these fireworks, and the game would probably work as well with simpler graphics, as flOw or Flower, or indeed Limbo and Inside have shown in the past.

Despite its failings, which might be more apparent for repeat players like me, when the spectacle and the uniqueness of the world and mechanics are not new anymore this is certainly a game worthy of merit. While losing narrative focus it is mechanically more ambitious than Inside and presents an original take on a rarely considered genre. Certainly recommended for fans or those looking for something different.