PSP: Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology

[Demon Cleaner]

Just saw that this one was released for PSP, haven't seen any screens yet. Might be something for you Harrison.

[Harrison]

Cool. I will check this one out when I get a chance.

I'm currently playing the GBA and Amiga versions of Wings on my PSP to compare them :D Is great having so many systems in the palm of my hand. You are missing out on so much DC ;) :lol:

[Submeg]

What is tha GBA version like? Im waiting for a proper PC or PS2/3 remake....:(

[Demon Cleaner]

You are missing out on so much DCI don't know, perhaps you're right, but I know myself better than you, if I'm gonna buy a PSP now, I'll test some things, and after 1-2 weeks, it's only a dust catcher. And that would be a real pity.

Of course, seeing some RPGs being released from time to time, makes my hands prickle.

[Harrison]

What is tha GBA version like? Im waiting for a proper PC or PS2/3 remake....:(

It isn't as nice as the Amiga original, but is a very faithful remake on the GBA. The biggest factor is the lower resolution the GBA had, and the lower graphics abilities so the 3D flying sections suffer, using a sprite based pesudo 3D style rather than the real 3D of the Amiga version. But it does play nearly the same so it worth a try.

And as you installed a custom firmware on your PSP Submeg you could run both the Amiga and GBA versions of Wings on it. For the GBA I recommend the emulator gpSP as it works really well.

[Submeg]

Hmm, sounds like an idea. Pity though, I just want an awesome WWI air sim....there are zero. Wings was the only one. Just need an updated version!! Anyone here on good terms with someone at Cinemaware? lol

[Harrison]

That is true. It is a big surprise that Bi-Planes have never really been used more in gaming, and WWI flight sims are very thin on the ground, but there are a few...

Wings of War (http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/546/546832p1.html) on the PC is an action shooter/flight sim which is meant to be really good, but quite hard. It came out in 2004 but looking at some screenshots it still looks good today, and being from 2004 the system specs won't be that taxing on current systems. I've not tried this game myself so am going to try and track down a copy.

Red Baron 3D (http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/sim/redbaron3d/index.html?tag=result;title;6)(updated and fixed version of Red Baron II) is another PC game that is the sequel to the 1990 Amiga original, but this time slightly older, being released in 1998. I've not played this one either but have heard good things about it. There is also the third game in the series currently being developed for the PS3 and Xbox 360.

Flying Corps. (http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/sim/flyingcorps/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary;review) Next we have another PC game that was also released quite some time ago, in 1997. Gamespot game this one a score of 8.1 and liked it so it could be worth tracking down..

And there is another PC game called Death from Above (http://uk.pc.ign.com/objects/489/489724.html). I only know this from the title and cannot find anything about it other than screenshots from the link I've given. It was due for release in 2006 but I don't know if it actually was released.

Oh and there is also the more serious Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 3, which does include Bi-Planes and there are mods available for WWI campaigns.

Finally have you played any of the IL-2 Sturmovik games on the PC? They are WWII based, so no bi-planes, but they are brilliant games.

[Submeg]

Ok Red Baron...I have a red baron on my PS2, it sucks and yes I have played IL-2 that was an awesome game, but alas no biplanes

[Harrison]

I just looked up the PS2 Red Baron game and it's a completely different game. The PS2 game was developed by Devilex and is complete rubbish, scoring 3/10 where I looked.

Whereas the PC game, Red Baron 3D, was developed by Dynamix in 1998 and is a really good game, scoring 8/10. This game was also the proper sequel to the Sierra Amiga game.

[Teho]

There was a fairly recent WWII game called Blazing Angels, too. Its description reminded me a lot of Wings (you follow one squadron, gripping historically accurate story, simplistic controls, etc), so I decided to get it for the PS3. It is absolute rubbish! It's far from realistic, in each mission you end up having shot down over 50 planes. And those planes are apparently flown by lemmings, they only try to dodge half-heartedly sometimes. And go down after being barely touched by a couple of bullets. They seem like target drones instead of actual opponents. The missions still get hard because of the sheer amount of enemies you have to take out in a fairly short time-limit, which end up just being frustrating. The story fails to be interesting, and even the technical aspects doesn't impress, as the game lags horribly when a lot is going on, which is often. That isn't just the PS3 version either, the game apparently has that problem across all platforms.

Just stay away from it. Its description sounded very Wings-like which is why I picked it up, but this is easily the worst game I've gotten in a long while.

[Harrison]

Back to the PSP game, Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology. I've now had chance to play it and it's very good. Nice 3D and some very good voice acting. The story follows similar ideas from other World Tree based games from the series, where you are playing a character born from the tree to help save the world from doom.

Another PSP RPG I've been playing is called Dungeon Maker: Hunting Ground. This one is quite unique and interesting to play. It reminds me a bit of the PS2 game Dark Cloud mixed with ideas from the PC game Dungeon Keeper.

You start off in a town and own a small cave just outside of the area. The game starts with you having some dungeon building blocks and some basic food and items. The main idea is that you build a dungeon to attract monsters, so that you can then go into the dungeon and kill them for treasure, items, money etc...

You build your dungeon by going into it. As you walk around the dungeon you can add corridors and rooms and connecting junctions, as long as you have building blocks for the type of part you wish to add. You can also add extra floors to the dungeon as you expand, so the initial size of each level isn't the restrictive as you can then start another floor.

Once you have started to add to your dungeon monsters are attracted to it and take up residence. You can only visit the dungeon once per day, and after sleeping to replenish your health, and to visit the shops in town to buy extra building blocks, food, potions etc... you can then visit your dungeon again the following day. New monsters since the last day will have taken up home in your dungeon, so you can then walk around your dungeon fighting them for money, items and treasure.

The main aim of the game is to attract bigger and stronger monsters, who will only come to your dungeon once it started to get larger. Also the way you design its layout affects the type of monsters you will get. And the more powerful ones won't appear until more levels start to be added to the dungeon.

The ultimate goal of the game is to attract this one very powerful monster, but to do that requires a lot of work building your dungeon. Quite a unique and interesting game. It might get boring after a while, but so far it's remained interesting.

[Submeg]

Hmm, sounds interesting. Sure it may become tedious, but it sounds quite cool

[v85rawdeal]

As a big fan of Dungeon Keeper, to the point where I have the theme as a ring tone on my phone, this certainly appeals to me. Slapping imps had better be a part of it though...

[Harrison]

It is a little different to Dungeon Keeper. Instead of just being the Dungeon Master, overseeing the dungeon and trying to create devious traps and dungeon layouts, and then watching adventurers trying to conquer your dungeon, in this game you are the adventurer developing your own dungeon as you adventure within it, and the point is to attract more monsters for you to personally kill for the rewards they drop.

It is an interesting twist on this idea of building your own dungeon. I've not played for long enough to see what becomes available later in the game (different dungeon building blocks, more weapons, greater treasure and drops, bigger monsters etc...) but it is definitely in interesting and unique game so far.

[Demon Cleaner]

Sounds interesting, have to take a look at a review with some screenshots.

[Demon Cleaner]

I just downloaded it :nogood: Have to make a collection of PSP RPGs too. Has someone a list? I only have Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth so far, and of course all the PSX releases.

[Harrison]

Not sure. I could probably make you a list tomorrow from my collection.

[Demon Cleaner]

I mean only RPGs, there aren't much on the PSP yet, or am I wrong? I could just browse through Gamefaqs, PSP games and then click for the RPGs, I'm always doing that to find something I'm possibly missing.

[Harrison]

There are quite a few RPGs out if you look across all regions. Even some Japanese only RPGs are in English which is good.

[Demon Cleaner]

Even some Japanese only RPGs are in English which is good.Oh, that is good.

[Harrison]

I read an article recently somewhere that explained that most Japanese gamers actually prefer games in English language rather than in Japanese. Not sure for the reason behind this but it does go some way to explain why even Japanese language games often have English menu systems.

[Sharingan]

Maybe they consider English to be a 'cool' language. If you listen to Japanese media, such as films, anime, games and music, you'll very often find English terms interspersed in the dialogue, even though the Japanese language undoubtedly has equivalent words for them.

One particular instance of this is in the (Japanese) dialogue of Metal Gear Solid 2, where Solid Snake is happily speaking Japanese, then suddenly inserts the word 'scoutu knifu' (= scout knife) in there. Hilarious.

[Harrison]

I actually noticed something even stranger in Indian films that I didn't quite get and wonder if any of you know the answer. I left a channel on a while back and a Bollywood film started and it was very odd. They were speaking the first sentence of each conversation in English and the continuing the rest in their native tongue. It was very confusing and it left me wondering why.

[v85rawdeal]

The other thing that the Japanese to find to be a status symbol is anything with Elnglish writing. (Just spelt better than what I does!!!)

I used to play the Magic: The Gathering card game, and found that the English versions of the cards sell huge amounts in Japan because it is stylish to have decks constructed entirly with the English versions.

The same goes with their car modifications, they may have Japanese artwork, but they love to get all the English decals.

In some ways it mirrors our fascination with 'kanji' (Japanese writing) and the quantity of people who will get tattoos of 'kanji'.

Mind you, as I am trying to learn Japanese at the moment, maybe all of this is just based on my own viewpoint... (if that is the case then ignore this :lol:)

[Harrison]

That actually makes sense. We are fascinated with the unusual Kanji letter forms and they with the latin script based English letter forms. The two are very different to the native letter forms of each others country so it is just the same for each country.

[Submeg]

Maybe they consider English to be a 'cool' language. If you listen to Japanese media, such as films, anime, games and music, you'll very often find English terms interspersed in the dialogue, even though the Japanese language undoubtedly has equivalent words for them.

One particular instance of this is in the (Japanese) dialogue of Metal Gear Solid 2, where Solid Snake is happily speaking Japanese, then suddenly inserts the word 'scoutu knifu' (= scout knife) in there. Hilarious.

Actually, Japanese language doesn't have a word for knife, and so to describe the type of knife, the entire object is described in Katakana as:

スカウト ナイフ which is literally scout knife.




Mind you, as I am trying to learn Japanese at the moment, maybe all of this is just based on my own viewpoint... (if that is the case then ignore this :lol:)

I am currently doing Japanese, have been doing it all year. If you need any help, or anything I will help :) Also, for writing in Japanese, download this. (http://www.download.com/NJStar-Japanese-Word-Processor/3000-2279_4-10604747.html?tag=lst-0-1)
This is what I use to write in Japanese. This can be then placed in word if you cannot directly insert it in other sites or such.

[v85rawdeal]

I have 'acquired' the Rosetta Stone software... I just fell onto my HDD one day... So I am slowly going through that, when I get the time... After Japanese... Russian!!!

[Submeg]

I have 'acquired' the Rosetta Stone software... I just fell onto my HDD one day... So I am slowly going through that, when I get the time... After Japanese... Russian!!!

Really? Russian? My gf does russian! Lol how strange :blink: