May Together Retro: Sega Dreamcast & Ports

[Jagosaurus]

@Note, we hang out around the same niche corners of the internet . I run across ppl on YT, Reddit, & Discord pretty often

I played a couple hours in to test. I liked what I experienced. I sold Evolution 1 & 2 with my DC during my big sale off. They're both still on my backlog, but the CGN port (planned on a modded Wii). They trim the first game though in the combo version:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_Worlds

Should note I enjoy traditional RPGs. 2 of my favorite all time games are as PSIV & DQV.

[CD AGES]

Since this quarantine has taken place, i've actually dedicated a bit more time than usual to my Dreamcast library. Played all 3 installment's of the RE series on the platform. Currently close to completing 3 (I was playing it alongside the new Remake of RE3).
I'll always have a reason to pop in games like Soul Calibur, Powerstone 2, Gun Spike and Dynamite Cop as those are some of my most favorite arcade ports on the system.

I also managed to complete Both Jet Grind and Jet Set Radio back to back over a 2 day weekend period. That was fun and it was great to experience and compare the differences in those two release.

[Note]

^Ok but gets boring. 1 town, 1 dungeon that keeps random generating each entry. Never finished it.

That's weird the whole game takes place around one town, didn't realize that.

@Note, we hang out around the same niche corners of the internet . I run across ppl on YT, Reddit, & Discord pretty often

I played a couple hours in to test. I liked what I experienced. I sold Evolution 1 & 2 with my DC during my big sale off. They're both still on my backlog, but the CGN port (planned on a modded Wii). They trim the first game though in the combo version:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_Worlds

Should note I enjoy traditional RPGs. 2 of my favorite all time games are as PSIV & DQV.

I still have my original DC and game, so I'd be playing that version. I wasn't aware of the GC port until recently, surprised the game was ported to another console, as I don't remember it being a popular title. I have a lot of games I'd like to get through in my backlog, but maybe down the line I'll give it a shot. I'm a fan of traditional RPGs too, PSIV is up there for me.

[stickem]

the characters are ok but wonky weapons, traditional jrpg turned based. your job is to find artifacts to sell and upgrade stuff visiting the same dungeon over and over again, it just randomly changes each entry. it's ok for awhile but i like exploring new things, places in rpg's and this just seems like your basic cookie cutter rpg. i probably put around 10 hours into it. I bought the 2nd one years ago just for collecting purposes but i'd like check it out and see if it's any better.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Another playthrough of PSO wrapped up. Took about 30 hours, and incidentally I was level 30.

The single-player experience is so fun, as long as you can handle the "mindless" hack and slash style. I wish the sequels had been as competent as this one.

[Melek-Ric]

Another playthrough of PSO wrapped up. Took about 30 hours, and incidentally I was level 30.

The single-player experience is so fun, as long as you can handle the "mindless" hack and slash style. I wish the sequels had been as competent as this one.

PSO 2 improved the combat.

I'm going to hook up my DC this weekend to play some NFL Blitz 2001, the most fun you'll ever experience in a football game. One of these days I'll replace that noisy little exhaust fan.

[Jagosaurus]

So Jet Set Radio Future is a true sequel, correct? Not a 1.5 with original plus extras?

Originally I thought it was an enhanced port back in the day. Then I thought it was the orginal with extra content. I eventually thought it was a full "2.0" sequel. Then I just never played it.

Any clarity on the differences & ports?

Looks like JSR was ported a ton:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_Set_Radio

Platform(s)
Dreamcast, Java ME, PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation Vita, iOS, Android

While JSRF was OG xbox only:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_Set_Radio_Future

[PartridgeSenpai]

I streamed some Maken X today. Aside from some weird problems with OBS making the gamma wayyyy lower than it should've been (which I eventually fixed), it's an oooookay game. I think Maru put it best when he described it as "barely a good game" in the Slack chat. I found the overall story kinda drainingly boring and just started skipping over it deliberately since it never seemed anyone said anything all that new or interesting. But that's contrasted with the super ridiculous enemy and character design (my personal "WTF"-favorite being the enemies you meet in "London" who are men with miniguns in their chests, knives for hands, and swastikas for faces) gives the game a somewhat confusing overall vibe to it.

That's all sorta on top of how the game just sorta plays badly. A first person melee-action game with only one joystick does not work well in the first place, and it works even more poorly when there's such a hard limit on your enemy lock on (and staying locked on is so finicky in the first place). It'd be absolutely unbearable if the game weren't actually so weirdly easy. The style really helps carry it, and I'm gonna try and finish it over the next day or two, I think, but I don't really think that my overall opinion will change between where I am now and where I'll go from here.

[CFFJR]

So Jet Set Radio Future is a true sequel, correct? Not a 1.5 with original plus extras?

Originally I thought it was an enhanced port back in the day. Then I thought it was the orginal with extra content. I eventually thought it was a full "2.0" sequel. Then I just never played it.

Yes, JSRF absolutely is a full sequel and a completely different game. And I might be alone in this, but I like it better than the original. The levels are amazing.

Can't speak to ports of JSR, since I only played the DC original.

On a different note, if you decide to check out JSRF at some point, be sure to play it on an original xbox, rather than a 360 (don't know if that would be in question for you, but just saying). Unfortunately playing it on the 360 introduces some slowdown that is not present otherwise. Not game breaking or anything, but it is there.

[Jagosaurus]

@CFFR, thanks for confirming. You just added a game to my to-buy list

I have JSR off XBL. It looks amazing in widescreen 1080p. I never bought JSRF on OGX bc I wasn't sure of any overlaps.

Speaking of, strange JSRF was never ported elsewhere & was mostly only on the combo disc with Sega GT '02. The standalone JSRF seems to be fairly uncommon.