Reviews by dagoss, page 3

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Pool of Radiance review

Pool of Radiance is an unusual game in that it has entirely fallen from the perspective of the average gamer, but still enjoys an almost legendary status with those familiar with the name. Among the right audience, it will still be brought…

dagoss · October 30, 2008

Reader Genesis HG exclusive

Fantasia review

I must confess that I listen almost exclusively to classical music. At work, I frequently infuriate my co-workers by turning off their intolerable rap music and switching to NPR. The thing with classical music is that it requires a great…

dagoss · October 21, 2008

Reader NES HG exclusive

Mega Man review

Despite the popular notion that the Mega Man series never evolved (or became more “intelligently designed”) as it progressed, the series actually underwent many fundamental changes in its early NES installments. While the differences…

dagoss · October 7, 2008

Reader PlayStation 2 Review of the Week HG exclusive

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES review

Like the average fan of RPGs, I typically do not look back on my years in high school with fondness. So when Atlus began showing trailers of Persona 3, the most recent spin-off in the ever edgy Shin Megami Tensei series, I was obviously…

dagoss · September 16, 2008

Reader Nintendo 64 HG exclusive

Cruis'n USA review

Cruisin' USA is essentially Rad Racer in actual 3D. That might not sound so bad at first, after all Rad Racer is a beloved classic by many, but unfortunately the days in which a game could appeal to people just by being a racing game have…

dagoss · August 15, 2008

Reader Nintendo 64 HG exclusive

Castlevania review

This game cheated me. I had originally started playing on the normal difficulty, but finding that its spastic camera and inane method of fighting led to more deaths than I deserved, I decided to restart and play on easy. The game became…

dagoss · August 11, 2008

Reader Nintendo 64 HG exclusive

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards review

I must confess a predisposition to certain things that we in the west generally consider sickeningly adorable. The very idea of a pink, balloon-like creature with stubby little arms and those cute little eyes just makes me want to run out…

dagoss · August 5, 2008

Reader Nintendo 64 HG exclusive

Goldeneye 007 review

Goldeneye was the best game I ever played in 1997. In 1997, the idea of firing explosive rockets in my brother's face without the threat of parental beatings was an experience I had never had (in 1997, of course). In 1997, I – as no doubt…

dagoss · August 2, 2008

Reader Nintendo 64 Review of the Week HG exclusive

AeroFighters Assault review

Given that its developer is Paradigm, the company responsible for Pilotwings 64, it would be reasonable to expect Aero Fighters: Assault to do things like be competent and not suck. We're just trading a hang glider for an F14; how…

dagoss · July 30, 2008

Reader PC HG exclusive

Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn review

”The Lord of Murder shall perish, but in his death he shall spawn a score of mortal progeny. Chaos will be sewn in their footsteps.” - So sayeth the wise Alaundo Exiled, guilty of fratricide, and bearing a lineage that would make even John…

dagoss · July 27, 2008

Reader Genesis HG exclusive

Advanced Busterhawk Gley Lancer review

With a spelling error in the title, a domicile on a sometimes technically inept console, and membership in a genre that prides itself on redundancy, expectations are not particularly high for Gley Lancer. “A shoot-em-up,” said I, “on the…

dagoss · July 15, 2008

Reader TurboGrafx-16 Review of the Week HG exclusive

Double Dungeons review

Early RPGs are based on very simple principals. Throw a few goblins in some square rooms that have been neatly arranged in a grid-shape, add some weapons, maybe toss in a tavern, slap any combination of “swords,” “dungeons,” “dragons,” or…

dagoss · July 8, 2008

Reader PlayStation 2 HG exclusive

Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection review

Three games in one box for a mere $29.99 (plus tax) would seem like a situation that is full of win, likely epic win, especially when those games belong to such an auspicious series as Metal Gear Solid. Having only experienced the series…

dagoss · July 4, 2008

Reader Game Boy HG exclusive

Mega Man V review

It would not be improper by this point to simply ignore a review for any game with the words “Mega Man” in the title. Despite being a series with over 100 entries, the elite group of Mega Man games which have been awarded the coveted title…

dagoss · July 2, 2008

Reader NES Review of the Week HG exclusive

Wizardry: Knight of Diamonds review

If you put the first two Wizardry games next to each other, hold a gun to the head of someone who is not an expert on the series, and ask them to correctly distinguish the two before you pull the trigger, they are likely to close their…

dagoss · June 29, 2008

Reader DS HG exclusive

Etrian Odyssey review

Dearest dungeon-crawler fan, We are sending you this love letter in order to inform you that we have made a new RPG in the tradition of Wizardry. It will be played entirely in first person, with turn-based navigation and combat, it will…

dagoss · June 27, 2008

Reader PlayStation 2 HG exclusive

ICO review

Though intimacy between individuals is one of the most important experiences of the human condition, video games have remained understandably silent on the subject. When attempting to mimic the narrative techniques of films, video games…

dagoss · June 21, 2008

Reader NES HG exclusive

Journey to Silius review

Journey to Silius was originally slated to be a game based on the Terminator movie license, but shortly before its release that license was mysteriously revoked from Sunsoft, either because Terminator 2 was less than a year away and a film…

dagoss · June 11, 2008

Reader Nintendo 64 HG exclusive

Star Fox 64 review

Just what you needed to see, Star Fox 64. He can sure be a pain in the neck, but we’re going to break through that fleet. Just don’t get too cocky, otherwise you’ll never defeat Andross. What’s the big idea? I’ve got a present for you…

dagoss · June 6, 2008

Reader NES HG exclusive

Metal Storm review

Metal Storm seems to be one of the rare cases in which a game was good, available on a popular console, well placed in contemporary media (cover of Nintendo Power, March 1991), and yet fell almost immediately into inexplicable obscurity…

dagoss · June 2, 2008