Virtua Neptune's Top 20 Sega Saturn Games

I have been playing so many new Saturn titles! It's been insane how well I've been able to track down some of these titles and be able to play them. While some of these titles will be familiar, there have been several games that have wowed me to no end! I was able to rediscover the Sega Saturn system in a whole new way. I got to play some of the best and the worst that the console has to offer and it only cemented my affection for the little machine. 

This brought about a bit of a conundrum, though. I had already brought about my top 10 favorite Sega Saturn games in one of my earliest articles on the Junkyard. So, instead of just 10, let's do 20! If you do not see a certain title on this list that you believe is the best, by all means, comment below and let me know! This is Virtua Insanity at its finest

#20. X-men vs Street Fighter

There is a lot to be said about this port of an arcade title that took the youth by storm. It is so faithful to the arcade port in so many ways that you can barely tell a difference between the two. Then there's also the fact that it is the greatest console port of its kind, period. Playing as both your favorite X-men and Street Fighter characters in a period where we just came off the X-men TV series and a great number of Street Fighter 2 ports is a feeling that one will not take lightly, especially their first time. The animation and the 2D sprites are beautiful, the background is colorful and lively and it is a challenge that you can be more than happy to take on because this title is arguably one of the greatest 2D fighting games ever made.

#19. Duke Nukem 3D

This badass title brought about new mechanics and new themes to the FPS genre as a whole, even coming close to rivaling Doom as a front runner. Unlike Doom, however, Duke Nukem was ported to the Saturn in style. The game takes just a moment to adjust from keyboard to controller if you're not use to it, but it controls so well that this is not a steep learning curve. You're spouting cool one-liners and putting holes in pigs in no time. Killing aliens is a breeze and you will be hard pressed to find a better use of your time than destroying giant monsters with rapid fire missiles! If you own a Saturn and love this game, do not hesitate to combine the two for a kick ass time!

#18. Die Hard Trilogy

Some have argued that this title is overly simple. Their argument is valid, but that's pretty much the point in the first place. This game was meant to be more of an arcade style game where you need to accumulate enough points to move on to the next section of all three individual games. The variety here is wonderful. You can have hours of fun driving a car through a bomb-riddled New York or you can go into a rail shooter to kill terrorists at an airport. All three movies are represented in this one title and it is beyond mindless fun to tackle all of them, even if you're just skimming through the game for the first time. 

#17. Sonic R

If you have been paying any attention to my reviews and articles, this will be no surprise to you. This can be considered a guilty pleasure, but that is hardly the point of anything. The graphics are old school and represent beauty in simplicity. The soundtrack for this game is legendary and it is beautiful! Have I said that enough times, because I feel I will never overstate it! The controls are janky but simply need some getting use to. Some of the levels have poorly constructed designs but there is a lot of fun to be had with this title regardless. Playing the extra games and enjoying the game with friends will bring it new life if this is your thing and you have the time to give it a chance. However, I am fully aware of why it is disliked so much and I would not recommend it to a wide variety of gamers. It is, however, a treasure that some Sonic fans will never give up. 

#16. Three Dirty Dwarves

A severely overlooked game that got little to no fanfare when it came to word of mouth. This title showed up in a demo disc that came with the Saturn itself, however, I was completely unable to locate the full game anywhere as its release was rather small. It was even a Saturn exclusive, though not by choice. The game mixes 2D and 3D elements into this very bizarre little beat'em up with a ridiculous story that you would probably laugh at if you pay attention. Fighting the badguys and all of the outlandish bosses is a fun trip, for sure. Though, the game is rather short and not especially difficult, do not automatically consider it a lost cause. This is a hidden gem in the Saturn collection and you would be depriving yourself a great deal.

#15. The House of the Dead

Back when I made the first list, I had no idea that this port got so much flak for its difference from the arcade. I played it once again very shortly after and even looked at all of the shortcomings it had by comparison and it was just fine. Yes, the framerate can be an issue and it isn't as graphically endowed but that is pellets against a flak jacket. This game is still plenty of fun and the downgraded graphics give it an old school feel that is so hard to truly replicate in today's modern gaming. It may not be as good as the Dreamcast sequel but that takes nothing away from this gorefest of zombie flesh. Munch away, friends.

#14. Guardian Heroes

When you want some fast paced hack and slash with some of the most awesome gameplay this side of the 5th Gen, you go to Guardian Heroes. The characters are loveable and the story is quite in depth, though it doesn't take too long to get through. It is a rather short game, but the beautiful visuals and heart pounding action will keep you busy until the very end. Every single character is unique in their own way, and that's cool. The boss battles, however, are where it's at. You'll have a lot of fun taking them down in this RPG style beat'em up for every age (Rated T for Teen).

#13. Shining the Holy Ark

If you were looking for an absolutely immersive RPG game, then look no further than the Shining Series. The first person perspective puts you in the dungeons and the caves as you traverse through them and fight off different enemies such as monsters and evil warriors and wizards. The story is great, if a tiny bit hard to follow at times, and the characters are fun to follow through this fantasy world of swords and sorcery. The graphics may look aged, but to true blue Saturn fans, there could be no other way.

#12. Daytona USA

Right when you start this game up, you are treated to some of the best the Sega Saturn has to offer in terms of soundtrack. The graphics are colorful, if a bit dated, and the arcade style racing is just all around a whole lot of fun. This is another game that got a whole lot of hate because it was not quite as well received as the arcade port and many would consider Champion Circuit the superior version. Objectively, maybe, but the Champion Circuit just did not have the same feel. It was much like the Virtua Fighter Remix overtaking the original title, it just didn't hit the same chord. Daytona USA has a more pure experience and is tons of racing fun.

#11. Warcraft II: The Dark Saga

The Saturn version of this game is not quite as good as the PC version, but that's not really saying a whole lot. You can still play this title on the Saturn and have a fantastic time as either the Orc or Human factions! Real Time Strategy games are rather rare nowadays in the mainstream gaming business, but they hit a high chord in the 90's and were never really topped since. Even if your only experience with the series is World of Warcraft, you will still see lot's of callbacks and continuity in Warcraft II. The graphics took a hit, but don't let that deter you if you were interested in giving it a chance.

#10. D

When you think horror in gaming, normally you would think of Survival Horror akin to Resident Evil and Silent Hill. Well, this is a horror puzzle game that focuses on character and story while also giving you that terrible sense of dread. The surroundings are haunting, while the soundtrack and level designs add to the fear factor that leaves you on the edge of your seat. You even find small clues from your character's past, showing that she is not exactly a normal person herself. She traverses the mind of her father who has become a psychopathic killer and it is a trip and a half! If you love horror, you may just love it to DEATH! Moving on...

#9. Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3

If there is one thing that I hope, it is that at least a few people took my advice and tried the Crazy Cyrax code on this game. It is by far the best Mortal Kombat game, despite one problem with loading times. It is literally the closest they officially became to resembling the full experience of the Arcade Game and it handles very well with its controls. The AI is not the automatic button sensing bastards they were in Mortal Kombat 2, and obviously it surpasses the original Mortal Kombat 3 game by a lot. The characters you may choose from are vast and wondrous, and you'll have a good time ripping the spine out of your friend's fighter! 

#8. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Castlevania could have been awesome on the Saturn, if they just took their time in porting it. As it stands, it is not as good as the other version but it is very very fun to play. You get a lot of great options of gameplay in the Saturn version and it's all still the great mechanics you know and love. Try out new characters, exist outside the storyline and defeat enemies like you're on easy mode. It's nice to try out new moves and destroy your way through vampires and skeletons the right way! On the Saturn!

#7. Panzer Dragoon Saga

I never got to play this game as a kid. Once I did, I was hooked! You talk about some high flying blissful roleplaying and glorious gameplay as you take down the most beautiful monsters you've ever seen in 32-bits! Do not miss out on this game if you can possibly find it for yourself. As you travel over landscapes that were so greatly crafted at the end of the console's life. Though the small crack in the mirror for this game is that they paid a little too much time on the story, at times. At first it wasn't quite as evident, but that part about it was a bit hard to follow. The cut scenes make up for this by being absolutely beautiful use of the Saturn's limitations

#6.Virtua Cop

When I was a kid, I was entranced by rail shooters, don't ask me why, I don't know. I always wanted that arcade game of Terminator 2 where you go around shooting robots and war machines. Unfortunately, I never got it. Later on, Virtua Cop more than filled the void of a rail shooter that was missing in my life. The day I got the Saturn, this game's wondrous graphics of its time and various weapons to use on various enemies. Virtua Cop 2 is awesome as well, and would be considered an honorable mention of this list. These are a staple of the Saturn and there is a very good reason for that. 

#5. Burning Rangers

Out of all of the titles I was able to play recently, Burning Rangers impressed me the most. The gameplay is unlike any platformer of its time and the graphics are exemplary with the Saturn's true potential. You float around platforms in a 3D area, putting out fires while also rescuing civilians. With such a simple premise, they were able to bring in a bit of a story element as well as some fairly likeable characters. This game reeks of absolute nostalgia, even if you didn't play it as a child, the feel of the gameplay and the old school graphics make you feel right at home.

#4.Virtua Fighter 2

The greatest fighting game on the system. After a bit of a rough start with the graphics of the first one, this game not only improved the details, but it also brought about new exciting mechanics as well as new characters. Virtua Fighter 2 is a gem of its own franchise and is some of the best looking games of its time. Each character has completely different strategies and each of them brings something to the table in terms of both unique qualities and personalities. The graphics are stifling close to the arcade version and paved the way for so many other great 3D fighting games thereafter. 

#3. Nights Into Dreams

The game that put the Sega Saturn on the map in terms of public relations. Nights set the standard for all Saturn games because it boasted graphics that allowed you to fly with such amazing freedom. The landscapes are strange but endearing, the gameplay flows together so well as an arcade style flying platformer. It gets you in the mood for some speed running as you try your very best to gain as many points to get as high of a grade as you can to get to the final levels. It is not especially long, but it boasts a good challenge and addicting qualities that has given it such staying power over the years as an image of beauty.

#2. Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei

What grabbed me about this title was not only its wonderful high flying gameplay and satisfying shoot'em up qualities. The real draw for me was the atmosphere of the whole thing. The backgrounds went on forever and the snow along with the colors of the sky all drew in such a feeling of relentless emersion. The levels differ so much, as do the strange creatures and machines that you fight in the air with your dragoon that is able to fire lasers at multiple targets. Taking down the large enemies gives off an intense feeling of glory and the challenge the game presents will get you hooked!

#1. Virtual On

To say that this is an addiction is something of an understatement. The fast-paced throng of destruction between two mech giants in a gigantic battle arena is hard hitting from start to finish. The number one rule of this game is that you never stop moving. Never stop firing between your arsenal of artillery of lasers, missiles, and high tech melee weapons until flames belch from the loser's metallic wounds. This game still has a following of players and contenders to this day and it is all because the 3D sci-fi ballistic action has captured the hearts of competitors for generations of staying power and awesomeness! 

The Sega Saturn has once again exceeded expectations in how awesome it is. Despite its short lifespan and smaller library, it has come out with some titles that have lasted ages. Sega's hesitance to give the Saturn any lip service is unfounded because this console has a fanbase that still thrives to this day and has the potential for success even in today's market if it is done right. Some more digital content and maybe even a mini would be awesome but that is only a hope for now. 

I hope to try more titles on this system soon and from there we can decipher another batch of great and terrible games. Honestly, throughout the titles I sampled, some of the terrible games were still fun in an awful way. It was really half the fun either way. These are just the ones I discovered in the first run through. Who knows what titles I could unearth in the future? Either way, drop a comment on your favorite and least favorite Sega Saturn games or even a title that you think deserves more praise. For now, this is the end of 2020 so what better time to drop a top 20 list? Here's hoping to a brighter future.

Borderlands (2024) - Every Hit a Miss

For some reason, video game movies have had a very troubled upbringing. Ever since their inception with the Super Mario Brothers era of cinema in that wondrous period of the late 80's early 90's, they just never seemed to get that idea on film quite right. With Uwe Boll hounding for some of the worst titles, filmmakers who thought they knew better than the source material and people just flat out not taking the idea seriously, we had small wins. Mortal Kombat from 1995 was a small win, Pokemon was something of a win with Detective Pikachu and then we had the Sonic movies, but this is all spread over a terribly long few decades. 

Borderlands is a few steps back in progress. Everyone has heard how terrible this movie is, and it really is a case of having to see it to believe it. While there are moments that remind the audience of playing the game from the mid 2000's, the whole experience is that of a very poorly made CW series pilot. Here we are thinking that Cate Blanchett's performance would help the cause, but it only compounds the problem. She is clearly checked out of the whole film. 

From scene one, this movie is a cliche upon a cliche upon an unfunny joke. The lines do not land, the cheesy dialogue is not clever in the slightest and every single actor in this movie is put on either unfunny sass mode or unfunny comedy relief mode. There are no in-betweens. There are things in this movie you think are supposed to be done ironically, but there is no joking demeanor, they literally have Kevin Hart rescuing a rich guy's daughter and they call it out as lame because he's the "shortest soldier". Seriously, this is logic in this movie. I'm a huge Tenacious D fan, and Jack Black's dialogue was still atrocious!

There is even a stupid PROPHECY given to us by SPOKEN NARRATION! This is done at the beginning of the movie and it tries to pass it off as "sounds like BS, huh?" No, you do not get to call yourself out as lame if you are still being lame. The story is a huge jumbled mess of coincidences and conveniences. She needs to find the girl so she conveniently finds Jack Black Bot, who can locate her immediately. They even have Kevin Hart roll in in front of Cate and roll down his window with the "get in" dialogue cliche! There is no bottom to the levels that they aren't willing to sink for this film. 

There is a large difference between how characters progress through a story and how they progress through a plot. When they are progressing through plotted events, the plot needs to make some kind of sense as to why these events happen. Why, then, would ClaptrapJack Bot be riding through town, speaking VERY LOUDLY when they are trying to lay low and stay out of sight? This happens and then the Harold and Kumar guest star gets all excited and starts telling the antagonists about him. Seriously, this is how the plot keeps going. There are several instances just like this that make even less sense. Let's not even get started on the Super Blanchett climax, it's all just too painful. 

We are supposed to know who these characters are, and while they may have elements of their character designs down, Cate Blanchett is still too old for the main role. She is supposed to be a sassy, sexy female lead, but they're obviously not allowed to make her too sexual and she is only there for a paycheck. Even when the movie tries to be sexy, it can't pull it off because it's all spoken dialogue and horrific references. The girl with the bunny ears is supposed to be Tiny Tina. She can't do Tiny Tina because her performance is wooden and her character lacks just about everything, so why should we care if she gets rescued?

Speaking of unfit for roles and too old to be doing this, Jamie Lee Curtis makes her wondrous appearance and drags the entire movie to a crawl. That is no joke, as soon as she hits the screen, they have to lay low because of the authories and in comes some of the most boring dialogue and character development ever thought up by anyone ever. They're supposed to be emotional, cute and you're supposed to feel something, but there's nothing! These characters are not deep or multidimensional and every single scene with them just makes them all feel like they are checking their watches, waiting for the director to direct them somehow. 

The CGI is some of the most distracting elements in the film and that is saying something. The blue screen affect makes it look like they are literally in front of a TV screen during the action sequences. The alien designs, set designs and robot designs are probably the only thing that really hammers this in as a Borderlands movie, otherwise, the theme and tone are all over the place. One moment, she's saving children from slavery, the next, a robot is ejaculating metal parts! 

The movie tries so hard to be other movies, and while it does get some of the sets and vehicles of the game down, the sequences are just that, sequences. When you can see each scene as a clear reference to another, better science fiction movie, the immediate thought is to get away from this movie an go watch Blade Runner or Dredd. We could be watching the GOOD Star Wars, for God's sake! None of the review websites or youtube videos are kidding, this movie is a disgrace and a serious wasted potential. Borderlands is one of those movies that you could have done in a unique way, with unique characters in the crazy, futuristic Mad Max/Blade Runner setting. You're not suppose to sit there and wish that you were better movies. Please, give this movie a miss and always remember to filter your water.

Doomverse #14 - More Doom Upon Doom

The fact that ID Software equipped Doom with the official stamp of approval for any custom made Doom game is what has kept the franchise going forever! Even if Doom 4 had not graced us with its presence in 2016, there would still be a vast number of fans, even if not as many. The custom made maps and episodes known as MegaWads have been created for decades and some of them have reached the official status. 

These are the maps that were not created by the original Doomsters, Romero and his gang of misfits. These are the maps that were approved by the official teams and marked for release to the general public. Evilution:TNT and Plutonia were released under the title, Final Doom. TNT was supposed to be a free mod for the game, but ID decided to release it as official. While this did garner controversy in that sense, it also garnered a reputation... I have discussed some of these expansions in my Top 10 Doom Games, but I will be covering them in a bit more detail this time. 

Final Doom

When asked which is the hardest of the early Doom maps, many will point to the Plutonia Experiment. This is mostly because of the countless traps, monster closets, Chaingunners and Revenants littered throughout every single map. Even in the easiest setting, these maps are very hard to navigate while also dodging an indecent amount of Archviles. Milo and Dario Casali wanted to make maps that cut to the core of difficulty, and they did so. These maps apparently didn't take very long to make at all. 

Congo, the first level, starts with Chaingunners and Shotgunners at a long distance. You need to, not only dodge these countless bullets, but also arm yourself very quickly. The traps start very quickly, but you also need to concerve your ammo or you will not be making it even close through the second map. The second map, Well of Souls, has more Chaingunners in traps, but it also has distance rooms. These distance rooms are widespread out from the door you open. You need to shoot a few of the monsters, close the door, and let them come to you. Take them out in packs with the rocket launcher and keep dodging traps. 

Ghost Town is probably one of the hardest maps there is. There are even death traps of blue acid (or water  I guess) that you cannot escape! The keys are ridiculous! There's a Spider Mastermind and a whole entourage of demons! The amount of Chaingunners and multiple faceted traps are dizzying in this episode, and there are levels that represent this whole-heartedly. The Super Shotgun will be your best friend. There are even Cyberdemons waiting for you at a moment's notice. By today's standards, yes, they have outdone Plutonia, but this was the difficulty standard of 1996! 

Seriously, when you begin Ghost Town, you take one step and everything is not fine all at once. You are greeted with a host of Chaingunners, Cacodemons, you name it, anything short of an Archvile is on display here. At least, it is for the first part. The second part, however, starts out with this horrifying visage of a stairwell of spiked zombies. As SOON as you climb the stairs, it's all over. There's a horde, there's two Archviles, and there's my first death of the level. I was so proud of myself for making it that far. The rest of the episode is really no better. There are some ridiculous traps that exceed anything Thy Flesh Consumed was even remotely capable of. The final secret maps are proof of this in spades.

Then TNT came along and decided that you don't need to actually know what to do in any of the maps. These maps, while difficult, are also very much like Hexen in that you really have no idea who made them but they obviously don't like you. The good thing about this game is that it follows a story and a theme rather well. Some of the maps are themed by their skies and others are themed by their interiors and exteriors with how it is all presented. This part of TNT was well done, but that doesn't really excuse the fact that the levels are just not all that interesting at all. They are usually long, over-bearing and some of them you just flat out can't find where to go because you missed that one switch in that one place. 

There are some gems of levels here and there, though. While the level design can become rather samey with wide open areas filled with little hiding spaces, they can also have little sparks of enetertaining genius. I came across a level called Last Call and it had quite the interesting level design. The torches at the beginning, to my surprise, was a clue as to how to progress through this section. You need to at least partially memorize these torches while also taking on a small horde of Cacodemons and Imps. Surprisingly, when I discovered this little gimmick, it took me three tries to get through it. I felt pretty proud of myself.

These levels were not as hard as Plutonia, but do not let them fool you. They have their monster closets and their very spread out group of monsters that arrive at a moment's notice. However, one of the worst things that these levels continuously indulged, much like Plutonia, was Archviles resurrecting Chaingunners. Seriously, Chaingunners and Shotgunners just screamed "resurrect me!" and suddenly, more bullets and shells are headed your way. That's on top of the fire!

Upon inspection of walkthroughs, it's clear that they wanted to tease your brain quite a bit, but that doesn't help matters when you are looking for a second key and it's in a place that is so obvious that it's actually not. The strongest parts of this episode were great when they threw some big demon hordes after you, but that didn't happen enough to keep a whole lot of interest. It is interesting to see multiple passages to spawn enemies ad nauseum that you can cut down with your shotgun, but really, there's not a lot to cover here. 

TNT has a cool technological cyberpunk theme to it, unlike many of the other episodes. This is a nice change at first, but after a while, it kind of takes away from the ambience and the theme of Doom. It feels more like a Duke Nukem 3D level set when he was in space those times. It is seen as one of the lesser levels sets, but at least TNT has some good material here and there. The levels are difficult, and there is a lot of creativity on show with both of these iterations. Though, the overreliance on Revenants are ridiculous at times, and the Archviles are always a pain, that's basically what we paid for. 

Master Level for Doom 2                          

You want some more Doom 2? Here's 20 more levels for your pleasure. There is, however, a reason why they are called the Master Levels. Much like Plutonia, these levels can be rather hard to figure out, while also being especially brutal with their number of monsters. This WAD Pack is great, because they stuck with the Doom atmosphere. This does feel like an expansion of Doom 2 itself. The problem stems from the fact that multiple people created these maps. While this is also true for the original games, those games obviously had a direction with which to go. Sandy, John and American were on the same page for a great deal of these maps. It also helps that it's done by the OG. 

The Master Levels explore more types of structures, while also sticking with the same basic ambience. While TNT kept to its own, Master Levels give you a good amount of castles and evil structures that look nice and gothic. The levels are a bit more free wielding in that they will not be afraid to have a Cacodemon pack come at you from multiple places on the map. This map pack is not without its monster closets, but they obviously didn't need to rely on them. These levels are easier to figure out and actually flow a lot better than Evilution, all things considered. 

All in all, if you liked Doom 2 and wanted more maps that play like original, classic Doom, you could do a lot worse than this one. The gameplay can be very fast, run and gun, especially in the first level, the aptly named, "Attack". There are various enemies spread throughout the level in the early parts. Thankfully, the shotgun and chaingun are picked up early and you get the ammo you need to take them down. Then the second level happens and it gives you a Shotgun from the very start. So, you're well armed, but the level designs can still get overwhelming. 

There's one level that I've remembered in every single playthrough, since the first around 4 or 5 years ago. While many would assume I mean Bad Dream, yes, but I actually mean a level that begins with you punching the door to get the Red Key immediately as you start the level. As you attack the door, Lost Souls will attack you immediately from both sides. Then both red doors on either side bring out more monsters upon monsters. Bad Dream, of course, is the level that many remember from the Master Levels of Doom 2. This features an entire room of Cyberdemons that, if you don't know what you're doing, will turn around and turn you into mashed Doomguy. You need to mash them first. It's imaginative, but also a little gimmicky.

The Master Levels was a good bunch of levels, although, it wasn't as well remembered as Plutonia. I consider it one of the stronger Doom expansions, but that's also noting that it has those samey level designs here and there, depending on which levels were designed by whom. Overall, this game ranks rather high on the Doom scale. That means it rocks harder than any other game under DOOOOOM!

No Rest for the Living

Nerve Software decides to throw their hat in to the ring with this modern look at Classic Doom. The levels actually play very well, keeping pace while also offering new types of level designs. The episode is short but the maps are clean and well made. Sometimes their insistance on coming at you with hidden enemies can be a bit annoying. Not only that, but some of its more experimental gimmicks with puzzles and bridges didn't really pan out that well.

This episode takes advantage of the switch and higher/lower elevation fighting. The maps are also very natural to get through, and don't act like they are trying to drive you crazy with backtracking and trial and errors. There is some of that, but thankfully, it is rather merciful. That doesn't mean this level set is easy, it has its many difficult areas of Revenants and Archviles. It doesn't try too hard to be difficult, though, it does so quite naturally. The best thing that can be said about No Rest is that it has a very tight but fair health/ammo/monster ratio. It's not strangulating, but it does make you think twice about using your precious ammunition, as good levels ought to do. 

One great example of a level is the final one, Tomb of Molevolence! This one takes the cake when it comes to level design in both looks and mechanics. You need to be FAST! You have to dodge an entire array of Imps while also waiting for the Cyberdemon to unleash your real artillary. Do not waste all of your good BFG ammo on the little guys, save some for the guy with the missile launcher! Very tastefully done with a good atmosphere of a dungeon beneath a bloody tomb. One great highlight of the episodes we're covering, especially when it comes to boss battles!

There is a lot of good Chaingunner and Hellknight play here, if such a thing exists for Chaingunners. There was a surprising lack of Barons of Hell. Usually, they're used ad nauseum in other custom wads. While still seen in pairs, it's on occasion. 

Speaking of Hellknights, then there came the secret map! The March of the Demons is one of the better crafted levels I have seen. It works in flipped switches, but it's in an open arena area. So every time you flip a switch, a structure in the area will go down with it. One of the best things about this is that you can flip two switches and then it's actually easy for them to fight themselves. The Mancubus will gladly take down the Hellknights if they get in their way and it is a mutual agreement of hatred. Have them fight it out with some Pinky demons gnawing at them and this is not a terrible episode to get through. There is some challenge, of course, but it's a lot of fun to do with such a great arena! 

There is a TON more Doom to discuss, and there will be more that the Doomverse will cover when it comes to the new Doom + Doom 2 update. If I went into every single awesome or horrible thing in every single episode, this review would take forever. It took long enough to get through some of the levels themselves. Soon, there will be more on the Legacy of Rust and maybe even some more on the other maps we haven't covered! Until then, Rip and Trousers---oh crap, CUT!

Doomverse #13 - Doom + Doom 2 + THE Doomverse itself!

There's a new Doom update, and much like Quake, there was skepticism. Also much like Quake, there was beautiful liberation. This update is not without its little problems, but overall, it is very much worth the change. If you already owned Ultimate Doom on Steam (which they changed back to Doom recently before this), then you already own the update. While you may have, for some reason, not wanted the update, it looks like they didn't give you much of a choice. Though, you do have the option of opening the DOS version. 

The best thing about this update is that it gives you a whole lot of options. This includes all of the official expansion to Doom, along with No Rest for the Living and Legacy of Rust. With Plutonia, TNT, and the Doom 2 Master Levels, this was a whole lot of guts with which to rip and tear. On top of all of this content, there is extra content from the original Doom. Original meaning, the demo and the shareware versions. You can look through images of concept art and the figures they scanned for the monsters and weapons. 

Legacy of Rust is technically being considered official as well. Since it was created by ID Software in collaboration with Night Dive Studios. Night Dive is responsible for this collection of content and deserve a lot of praise for such a complete collection of Doom put all in one place.

BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE! Yes, if I sat here and talked about how much content you get from this, it would take a long while. There are even custom made wads and maps that you can download like from the Steam workshop. They download them and you can unsubscribe to them if you desire to do so. This will allow you to play maps like NUTS, and face down a ridiculous amount of monsters in what they call a "Slaughter Map"! This is a very fine example of a slaughter map, and there is a way to beat it, but good luck pulling it off. 

Some basic nitpicks here and there, though, as there are some. The menu looks awful. The font is very basic, and even the HUD text looks a little mundane. Another small problem was, if you had mods on your Doom already, you need to look through and get them again. At the time of writing this, the custom maps are being reuploaded to the servers and a lot of people are having to wait. Oh well, honestly, this is very much worth it. 

This means that Death Matching and Co-op multiplayer is back on the menu, boys! We have a whole new generation of Doomguys to blow apart with missile launchers! At least, this is true for a little while. Quake, sadly, seems rather baron at the moment, as the update hasn't seemed to have the same staying power. It also doesn't help that many of the players are only playing on private servers. Either way, Doom multiplayer is some of the oldest and greatest multiplayer, as it is one of the very first games that did it. John Romero was also the first one to coin the phrase "Death Match" and basically INVENTED trash talking! 

There is seriously a ton to cover and Doomverse is up to the challenge! Stay tuned for even MORE DOOM! Planet Virtua will be taking a closer look at this update and look more into some of the expansions! There is so much to look at and there are even some custom maps that we'll be investigating for Doom awesomeness! Virtua Doom Mania!!!  

Virtua Sonic #7: Top 10 Sonic Games

 Throughout gaming history, there have been conflicting game companies in something of an arms race to harvest this potential goldmine. Games came and gone with differing margins of acclaim and there were some that reached the rank of legend. Whether you think I’m overselling the blue hedgehog a bit much is up to the eyes of the beholders. However, no one can argue that there was a time when Sonic was literally everywhere in terms of merchandise and game sales. He has had a massive impact that took the world by storm. Since then things have changed. 

While Sonic the Hedgehog has had a severe lack of quality in a lot of his gaming timeline, we are here to speak of the gems in this collection (pun intended). Whatever your favorite game is, if it is not on this list, please list your favorites in the comments. While I may not have had a favorable experience with them, I am sincerely glad that you did. Sonic is a celebrated character worldwide and so now let’s celebrate with a look at what I think are the greatest games in the Sonic library. 

#10. Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine

Alright, we all know that this is a Tetris clone, but who cares! It’s still fun. Sometimes it seems that the computer gets an unfair advantage sometimes as they get the exact right pieces right when they need them. However, the opposite is also true and it gets rather competitive. It has very little to do with Sonic other than the appearance of the characters, but it’s still enjoyable. You face against random robots until you get to the monkey robot who I forgot the name of. You face Robotnik at the end, but he gets ridiculously hard. Need a good time waster? Give it a glance.

#9. Sonic Adventure 2

While I can’t say I enjoy all of the game mechanics of this title, it’s still a whole lot of fun when it gets going. The speed sections are enjoyable and the world building through the story is fun to watch. This game still lives up to its Dreamcast days, though it’s certainly not perfect. The Knuckles sections and the Tails sections were good, but also a little monotonous after doing them for as many times.You can have a lot of fun raising Chaos, but it's not a whole lot of fun on the Chaos Emerald sections. It felt like there were just so many different mechanics they wanted to introduce. So, on top of an adventure game, it's a 3rd person shooter along with being a racing game. It has its boring sections but it also has fun boss fights. When it gets tense, it still gets fun. There's also a great port of it, an updated one you can get on Gamecube. Sonic Adventure 2: Battle is a solid take on the title and worth a look.

#8. Sonic the Hedgehog

The premier title for our hedgehog himself. A great game in its own right, but not reaching its peak quite yet. It still functioned very well as a platformer, as well as performing as a hit for the Genesis. Both critics and fans loved its Mario-like gameplay, saying it gave that franchise a run for its money. This title is not to be overlooked for any Genesis collection. Some of the levels are not especially great and sometimes they can go overboard with the water levels. It’s still great, though, in retrospect, it is very obviously missing one mechanic that the second game would revolutionize.

#7. Sonic Generations

A surprisingly good game, considering the time in which it was created. By the time 2011, the Wii games and a few other Sonic duds had already hit the market. Generations was a great addition to the collection, featuring not only some awesome 2D levels to go along with some of their better attempts at 3D Sonic since the Adventure games. With some awesome battles between Sonic and Metal Sonic and a class act in level design, this PS3/XBox 360 generation game boasts some unexpected success in this title. 

#6. Sonic R

No, this is not a troll and no, I am not trying to get attention with unusual opinions. This game not only has a nostalgia factor for me, but there is also a lot of fun to be had here. The controls were bad, but they just take some getting used to. The balloon sections, the races and the freeze tag sections are all great to play with your friends. It's a good distraction along with the beautiful soundtrack. Don't let the janky graphics and occasional glitches stop you from unlocking the characters. This is Sonic on the Saturn and that just makes it all the better. The graphics are also not great, but they’re 32-bit goodness I’ve always loved. You don’t have to like it, but I will always love it.

#5. Sonic Adventure

A great return to form from the less than stellar performance on the Sega Saturn. Adventure truly brought Sonic to the open 3D world and it truly feels like the title suggests. Again, it is not a perfect game. The graphics were amazing at the time, though and the story is a lot of fun to follow as you play. It's also a great atmosphere and all of the levels are worth exploring. It is loads of fun and can get very engrossing, but there are times when the segments can be slow and, again, monotonous. Sometimes there is some drag, but I can honestly still call this title great!

#4. Sonic CD

Commonly considered the greatest title for the Sega CD, Sonic CD boasts some of the most beautiful 2D graphics in his early titles. CD has everything you loved about the first games with new and exciting mechanics and ways to take down the mustached menace, Robotnik! The real problem with this title is that sometimes its level designs can become very confusing. It also can have some game killing glitches on occasion. It is a game you can play for hours at a time and it is a great introduction to the franchise.

#3. Sonic Mania

The latest of the greatest Sonic titles on this list and it earns a staggering third place on this list for various reasons. Not only does it have some of the most beautiful 2D style graphics of any Sonic title but it also has some amazing callbacks to previous great titles while giving them a bit of an upgrade. Though the level design can be a little confusing at times, that does not detract from how much enjoyment can be expected from this fan-made classic that took Sonic fans by surprise. What didn’t surprise fans was that it out classed and ultimately overtook the official Sonic title of Mania’s release year, Sonic Forces in seemingly every way.  

#2. Sonic and Knuckles 3

Initially released earlier in the year, Sonic The Hedgehog’s 3rd title was soon joined by one of the first examples of paid DLC. Sonic and Knuckles was a separate cartridge that you could attach not only Sonic 3 but all three of Sonic’s original titles on the Genesis. Such an innovation did not escape the fans as it proved to be one of the single greatest titles of the original era. You could not only play as both Sonic and Tails, but also the newcomer, Knuckles. His gliding ability along with his climbing opened up older levels with a new way to explore them and it also changed the perspective of the ongoing story. Sonic 3 did not disappoint fans who got their start with Sonic 2 and it would become one of the hedgehog’s most widely beloved games.

#1. Sonic the Hedgehog 2

While Sonic the Hedgehog was a brilliant starting point for the blue blur, Sonic 2 decimated expectations and wowed audiences and critics alike upon its release in 1992. Fans were delighted to find this sequel game included with their boxed up Sega Genesis just in time for the holidays. With the new added feature of the spindash and some of the most beautiful and practical level designs on the market, Sonic 2 left its mark as one of the greatest video game sequels. It was right up there with Mega Man 2 and Street Fighter 2 and it was a breaking point that made Sonic the Hedgehog a household name for decades to come. 

So those are my favorite Sonic games and there is always room for more in the future. Whether you love Sonic ‘06 or Sonic Colors, it doesn’t matter. By all means, make your own list! It’s always good to hear from a fellow Sonic fan. This icon of Sega has had the charm and the appeal to last for decades and it’s clear that he could easily last for decades more. Let’s just hope for some new releases soon and keep drinking water.

Virtua News!: Half-Life 3 "Confirmed"

Alright, so there is another big huge enormous "confirmed" rumor that Half-Life 3 is absolutely going to really happen this time! Well, given our experiences with such rumors, especially with such a dubious title under Valve as "white sands", I mean, we thought this for their Half-Life Alyx. While that was a leap in VR gaming for a lot of people, it wasn't Half-Life 3. 

So, what is actually confirmed is that a very credible actress has been signed on to do a Valve produced game, currently named "White Sands". That's apparently White Sands, New Mexico, where Black Mesa resided when it didn't explode into alien portals. Natasha Chandel is very well known for her voice acting career and this has sparked a major stir on the internet. Well, I say major, it's more just your run-of-the-mill rumor hype. 

First and foremost, if it wasn't clear, let's not get our hopes too high right this second. I would feel more comfortable if we actually got a number on that entry. Anyone and everyone could be waiting for it to be a number 3 when it could very easily be a number 2. I don't mean that as a crap joke, I mean Half-Life Alyx 2. While that would be a nice comeback for the VR community, the rest of the gaming community will basically be left high and dry once again. 

Now, if it is Half-Life 3, yes, that is pretty exciting, but we also shouldn't be celebrating too hard quite yet. It will still have a long way to go. We probably won't even see a trailer for it for another 6 months, but it would be very nice to finally be able to see what kind of alien G-Man really is. In this new age, far surpassing graphics of the mid 90's and mid 2000's, it would be interesting to see what kind of creature designs we would get for the aliens. It would also be nice to see some new aliens or maybe even a better look at the alien baby from the first game. 

The big draw would be the completion of the story. We can only hope they don't try to pull a Shenmue 3 and put in ANOTHER cliffhanger ending when the third game already took ages to release. The last thing gamers need is to be let down by yet another storyline that has no real conclusion and expands into another unwanted franchise with a possible TV show and maybe even a movie that Half-Life could have used decades ago. Let's just hope they keep it contained within the game this time and not try to put out more and more loose story narratives for ill-thought out expansions. 

If it is Half-Life 3, I really hope they put in the work hours but not to the degree we've been seeing. I know Valve has been a little out of the gaming community when it comes to developing games, but let's hope they remember their roots. The last thing we need is another sweat shop of developers putting out crappy material because of crappy work environments with more controversy. The gaming industry as a whole could do with a lot less of that. So, let's keep a realistic stance on what to expect and let's just hope for the best, as we always seem to do... usually. Drink Crab Juice.

Myst (Saturn) - Just Missed It

Cyan set out to tell a story using very little dialogue and a lot of stunning visuals. This game is full of thematic imagery and some very nice atmosphere. It’s a point and click adventure game with tons of very head scratching puzzles and a lot of attention that you need to pay to pretty much everything that you do throughout it. The settings that you go through have a realistic tone to them, while also existing clearly in the 32-bit dimension.

The down-side? Pretty much everything else. This game is sloggier than a slug looking for the slowest shell to slither through the molasses river. It is so god awfully boring and so hard to get through, especially in the first run through. At first, it’s nice to view the scenery and take in the atmosphere. Then you start to hate the scenery and the atmosphere becomes blotchy because there is very little music at all throughout the game. You spend so long in these places trying to find the puzzle combinations and all of the switches that you need to flip along with figuring out everything you need to do to advance to the next stage. Visually, the game delivers, but that does not mean I want to stand around and stare at everything for that long.

There is a story attached to this game as well. It is somewhat of an interesting one, but only when you actually start to put the puzzle pieces together and that takes a while. The plot isn’t exactly the deepest, though, in fact it’s rather simple in a lot of ways. None of that is really the problem, though. The problem is the acting is atrocious. FMV games have been known to be absolutely terrible in the ways of performances from its characters. This stims from the fact that real actors cost money and it’s a lot cheaper just to put the game devs into silly costumes and let them ham it up in front of the camera. So, the more footage you get from the storyline, the more you get to see just how badly their playwriting sucks.

So, you’re traveling through the worlds using a book in order to gather pages for incomplete books. There are some guys trapped in these books. They are more or less the epitome of cringy performances. The more pages you put in the books, the more you get of their messages and the more they can tell you “PLEASE! Bring me more pages!”

I won’t bore you with all of the details, but it’s interesting enough to keep you invested. It is especially good if this is really your thing. It is very good for its time and quite advanced when it comes to the point and click adventure games. When you hear about this genre, Myst is sure to come up. However, it is an acquired taste for a select demographic. Anyone else will more than likely be bored out of their skull and not even make it out of the first level.

The story and gameplay are quite shallow--so shallow, in fact, that you can actually beat the game in just a few minutes if you know where to go. I won’t spoil anything for you, but the ending is really terrible. All of the endings, that is. You’ll either get some dismal epilogues or you’ll get one “good ending” that is more or less just a clumsy precursor to the sequel game, Riven.

Do not let anyone tell you that this game is awesome and a classic that everyone should play. It is very subjective as to whether or not you’ll enjoy this. Before diving in, be sure to keep an open mind and always remember to drink water.

The Sega Saturn Mascot

 Early gaming consoles had a great host of cute, often furry, characters we like to refer to as “Mascots.” These are the spokesmen that stood out among the rest of the games in their respective companies. Though, many of them did not live up to the hype that they wanted. Names like Bubsy, Boogerman (yes, for real), Zool, and Gex were either remembered in infamy, or not remembered at all. You also had Spyro and Crash Bandicoot for the PS1 that came a long way in popularity, but still didn’t quite have the staying power as the more prominent mascots.

Well, believe it or not, the Sega Saturn also had its fair share of mascots. Some that rose to some very distinctive time in the spotlight and some that were gone and forgotten before people even learned their names. Well, in this article, we’re going to take a brief look at the candidates. We will also be determining who we at Planet Virtua claim to be the console’s true face of public interest. Let’s begin, shall we?

Sonic the Hedgehog

Oh, I’m sorry, is this a little too on the nose? Yeah, we’re getting this one out of the way. Everyone knows who is the true face of Sega. He is undisputed and even though some of his recent games haven’t been up to par, we still love him. Anyone who got a Sega Genesis normally saw at least five or six pictures of this guy on the box. The Blue Blur will always be king. However, we are talking specifically about the Sega Saturn and as much as we love our favorite hedgehog, he wasn’t exactly given the “royal treatment” when it comes to games of the generation. Sorry, old friend, you’re treated better on the Dreamcast.

Sir Tongara de Pepperouchau III

The brave knight who is on the way to save his true love, the clockwork fairy princess, Chelsea! Sir Tongara de Pepperouchau III, or Pepper for short, was a decent attempt at making a mascot for the Saturn system. He stood out in a lineup, for sure, as there were no other noble knights of valor who fought evil toys among the other candidates. So, what stopped him? Well, for one thing, his game didn’t exactly turn heads when it came to gameplay or originality. Then there was the fact that he was released in America the same year that a very similar batch of characters came to the big screen in Toy Story. Though it is remembered fondly today, the game itself received mixed reviews at the time of release and Sir Pepper himself wasn’t really seen as the “mascot type.” Check out Clockwork Knight and its sequel if you’re wanting a good platformer.

Akira Yuki

Strangely enough, when it comes to characters you’d recognize along with the Saturn, Akira is definitely along that line. After making his debut in Virtua Fighter, he was seen on pretty much the frontline of every fighting type game magazine having to do with Sega. Virtua Fighter 2 and Fighter Megamix both featured him on the cover and he was on more than one magazine cover. Would we consider him a “failed” mascot? Well, not really, but he didn’t exactly have a whole lot of staying power when compared to other fighting game spokesmen. He was, indeed, a very noble effort.

Nights

One of the most iconic characters on the Sega Saturn. Her high flying gameplay along with her very unique physical appearance makes her a cornerstone of beauty in the eyes of gamers of all ages. She tested so well with the youth of Japan and America. She is on custom consoles that don’t even feature Nights into Dreams in their libraries! Put Nights by a crescent moon, add in some sparkles and you’ve got some A-Class artwork that you could stare at for hours. Nights definitely fits the bill when you are looking for a Sega Saturn mascot, even rivalling Sonic on the subject. Considering the last game made for her was made back in 2007, this is a serious accomplishment. With an HD remake on recent consoles and Steam, this beauty of a character is still making waves with the make of just one game. Definitely, a top notch pick for the Sega Saturn mascot!

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Segata Sanshiro

OH, SNAP! You didn’t really think we’d forget this massive manliness of awesome, did you?! The hero who could kick a baseball into a home run, then beat your ass for no other reason than to show you the legendary Sega Saturn Shiro! Don’t you dare insult the Sega Saturn, or Shiro-sama will destroy your universe and insist you play the Saturn!

For real, though, Segata Sanshiro was one of the greatest comedic characters to ever come out of the land of the rising sun. His commercials were ridiculous and absolutely crazy, and we loved every single minute of it! His pushing of the Sega Saturn console was legendary and he became a legend because of it! He still lives on today through memes and hilarious inside jokes but for the true blue Saturn fans, there really couldn’t be a better mascot that we could ask for.

Our pick, here on Planet Virtua, is none other than the man himself: Segata Sanshiro!