QCF: Yakuza Kiwami

t’s been speculated that Grand Theft Auto III would have never gone in the direction that it did had it not been for Shenmue on the Dreamcast, and personally, I always found that contrast a bit misleading. Grand theft Auto attempted to give as much player freedom as they could, while Shenmue was aimed more at the player agency, albeit through the scope of a law-abiding protagonist who still had to adhere to things like a curfew.

Fast forward six years later, and we’re treated to a new game from SEGA titled Yakuza, an adventure that pays homage to both Shenmue and Grand Theft Auto through its unique RPG mechanics that offer a balanced blend of agency and freedom, and was successful enough to launch a new franchise for SEGA into the next decade.

A franchise that’s gone so strong that SEGA decided to release a remaster of the classic that started it all, Yakuza Kiwami for the PS4. To gauge the success of a remaster is to determine how well it can deliver the experience to both fans of the original, and new players who’re coming in fresh—Yakuza Kiwami nails both out of the park (or this case, batting cages), as the trip back to Kazama Kiryu’s misadventures in this epic crime-drama feels just as fresh as it did before.

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QCF: Windjammers

hile Nintendo is a brand that will forever be synonymous with video games, there are a few other Japanese names that have attracted a dedicated following, particularly one best known for delivering intense arcade action—SNK and their platform, Neo Geo.

Most may only know them as the house that built King of Fighters these days, but the passionate affection that the brand can still command even after all these years is still palpable, especially for one particular title that has managed to obtain a cult-classic status with those in the competitive gaming scene.

Spinning a casual beach sport into high-powered contest, Flying Disc Game-Windjammers was a gem that managed to spawn its own culture of versus action. The eccentric Frisbee-tosser was not only novel, but addictive, and frenetic, allowing it to endure on in an environment that was dominated by the fighting game genre for years on end, only to slowly drift into obscurity as the day of the arcade slowly came to an end.

That is until now; Dot-Emu has managed to secure the rights to publishing a remastered version of it for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita on PSN, and thankfully, the experience is just as incredible, if not more so than it was twenty years ago in that dingy pizza parlor that your family used to drag you to during the weekend.

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QCF: Marvel Vs Capcom Infinite

hange is ever constant in anything and everything we do, and that sentiment couldn’t be more apparent than the latest installment to Capcom’s Versus series, Marvel Versus Capcom Infinite.

While the previous entry was able to exercise a surprising amount of creative control within the aftermath of Disney’s startling acquisition of Marvel, the landscape is now far more different than it was six years ago, and the Comic Publisher’s ongoing licensing struggles have made their way into the development of the sequel.

To top that off, the recent resurgence of the fighting game craze in the mainstream from games like Killer Instinct Season 3, Injustice 2, and Pokken Tournament DX have raised the bar for on what the fans of the genre anticipate out of new releases, especially when it comes to the pedigree expected out of something like the Capcom Versus Series.

With the odds seemingly stacked against development, the direction of Infinite shifted, seemingly geared more towards accessibility, and a new narrative-heavy approach that emphasized all the zany fan-service that Capcom could squeeze out of the crossover.

The end result makes for a competent entry that manages to introduce a few compelling new concepts, but ultimately plays it way too safe with everything else, delivering an experience that leaves a lot more to be desired.

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Bullet Heaven, Episode 195 - RXN -Raixin-

e're finally wrapping up the Shmuppy Switchmas Holidays with perhaps the most anticipated shmup on Nintendo's console yet. RXN -Raixin- is the kind of shooter a lot of us have been waiting for... but how does it hold up?

Get RXN -Raixin- on the Nintendo eShop here: https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/rxn-raijin-switch

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Bullet Heaven, Episode 194 - The Next Penelope

hmuppy Switchmas may have come and gone, but the Shmuppy Holidays STILL continue! In episode 74 of Bullet Heaven. we took a look at a shmup with racing elements called Shippu Mahou Daisakusen Kingdom Grandprix (疾風魔法大作戦 キングドムグランプリー), and we liked it quite a bit. But what about a racing game with shmup elements? Well, we might just have what you need with The Next Penelope. How does it stack up?

Get The Next Penelope - https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/the-next-penelope-switch

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Bullet Heaven, Episode 193 - Gunbird for Nintendo Switch

hmuppy Switchmas may be over, but the Shmuppy Holidays continue! We've seen a lot of western developed shooting games in the last couple of moinths but what about classic japanese ones? Well this time, we take a look at Gunbird for Nintendo Switch. We've wanted to review this one since early 2010 but it somehow never happened, despite having it al this time on the Sega Saturn. How does it (finally) stack up?

Get Gunbird for Nintendo Switch! - https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/gunbird-for-nintendo-switch

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Bullet Heaven, Episode 192 - RIVE: Ultimate Edition

hmuppy Switchmas is on a roll and now it's time for something totally different! RIVE: Ultimate Edition was released to the NIntendo Switch on November 17, 2017 and the time has never been better to check out this oft-viewer-suggested "everygame." How does it (finally) stack up?

Get RIVE: Ultimate Edition! - https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/rive-ultimate-edition-switch

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Mudprints Unboxes - Retro-Access RGB Cables

Getting the RGB-mini Framemeister for better retrofaming capture is only one part of a bigger puzzle; you'll need the right cables to get the sharpest picture, and Retro Access has what you need. Get ready to see the difference RGB makes from one of the best custom-cable makers there is!

Our cables were provided to us for review! Get your own awesome RGB cables from Retro Access! - http://www.retro-access.com

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