PPR 133

ell, against many odds, E3 came and managed to show off what’s in store for the next-generation of video games while contending with the ongoing challenges of a pandemic that’s still wreaking havoc on our everyday lives.

While it’s easy to dismiss what may have arguably been one of the more humble presentations we’ve had in years, especially with it being the first year of new Next-Generation hardware, the fact  that we got as much as we did with Covid-19 being a present danger is a blessing in and of itself.  Anyway, if there was one thing, this E3 did have a ton of; it was chock loaded with C H A O S.

Anyway, we here at Press Pause Radio got together to record our impressions of the show and see which of our predictions came true as we broke down most of the presentations by order of appearance of the week to discuss a number of the games that were shown. The games we showed off were Strangers of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, Rainbow Six Extraction, Forza Horizons 5, Breath of the Wild 2, Metal Slug Tactics, Lake, Spirit Swap, Mushihimesama for Switch, Metroid Dread, Warioware Get it Together, Elden Ring, Starfield, Halo Infinite, and so much more.

Sit back, download the show, and get ready to blame Chaos for everything bad that has ever happened, like ever.

Mail us at our new email Mailbag@presspauseradio.com, leave a voicemail at 469-PPR-TALK, and be sure to stop by at our Forums if you haven’t already registered and post your thoughts about the show. Finally, make sure to rate and subscribe to us on iTunes and YouTube, follow us on Twitch page and Twitter, and finally take part in our Facebook and Steam group!

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Late to the Party: Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1

hings certainly weren't easy for the Neo Geo Pocket Color, a short-lived handheld that had to compete with the likes of the classic Game Boy Color and newly released Game Boy Advance shortly after. Still, there's something sweet and neat about recollecting a portable version of one of the most expensive consoles in history.

(Recollecting — see what I did there? I, well uh, never mind.)

That being said, SNK is at it again with the retro party pack full of nostalgia. This time, we've got a fully portable 10-pack of favorites from decades ago through its Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 on the Nintendo Switch.

So is this a home run for even the newest takers or an acquired taste that only diehard fans need apply for? A little bit of both, honestly.

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QCF: Guilty Gear Strive

can remember the energy and excitement in person at EVO 2019 when we first saw the reveal trailer for Guilty Gear Strive, and how everyone in attendance was mesmerized by its incredible graphics and potential for the fighting game scene. Even then at first glance I knew that Arc System Works had something special, and I am happy to report after a few delays and several rounds of beta play, the game that we now have in our hands is better than could has been imagined on that summer evening during the EVO tournament.

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PPR 132

t’s nice to feel like 2021 is on the road to normal, but the trip there is still a long haul—which means we’ll be looking at another digital-only E3 presentation as we continue to shelter-in-place. With one more week to go before everything officially gets underway, we here at Press Pause Radio decided to get into the speculation game with some good ol’ fashioned E3 2021 predictions!

Join George, Ed, Andrew, and Sean as they cover their obligatory thoughts towards the rumored Nintendo Switch Pro, Starfield, Elden Ring, Metroid Prime 4 Breath of the Wild 2, and what kind of game Final Fantasy XVI may end up being, if it’s even shown, and a ton off more gesticulation over the games that they KNOW will be there.

So be sure to check the batteries in your CO2 Detectors and Smoke Alarms then go download the new episode and roll around in the scuttlebutt with us!

Mail us at our new email Mailbag@presspauseradio.com, leave a voicemail at 469-PPR-TALK, and be sure to stop by at our Forums if you haven’t already registered and post your thoughts about the show. Finally, make sure to rate and subscribe to us on iTunes and YouTube, follow us on Twitch page and Twitter, and finally take part in our Facebook and Steam group!

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25 years of the Sega Saturn: Part 2-The Two-Pronged Stumble

ell, this is embarrassing; I had planned to publish this entry much sooner than now, given that it’s been a little over a year since I last published the premier piece to this editorial series, but I suppose it’s appropriate since we’ve now arrived at the anniversary of SEGA’s polarizing 32-bit powerhouse once more.

When we last left off, we looked at the pre-launch hype of the Saturn and SEGA’s internal dissension over the mechanical complexity of the hardware, with technical specs that were arguably geared more at enhancing the present climate of gaming than preparing for the next dimension of gameplay the medium had been building to. The corporate disconnection only grew from there as SEGA of Japan hedged all their bets on the console with one fateful announcement during their 1995 Electronic Entertainment Expo presentation—the Sega Saturn was available now, retailing at $399 MSRP with the inclusion of Virtua Fighter to the surprise of everyone, including major retailers.

It was with this first big step that the Sega Saturn had begun its perpetual tumble towards commercial failure, as we look back at one of the most infamously mismanaged console launches in Video Game History.

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QCF: Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown

t one point in the medium of Video Games, Fighting games were on top of the world, overtaking screens across Living rooms and Arcades across the world. It didn’t take long for everyone to come for that piece of pugilistic pie, and while there were many who tried, a few found success, and even fewer redefined what the genre was—one of those releases was SEGA’s Virtua Fighter.

Aside from pioneering the concept of three-dimensional fighting, the series has steadily earned the reputation for being one of the most technical-minded brawlers on the market and has remained a staple where competitors measure their skill of the genre within the fighting game community. Admittedly, the series has struggled to find mainstream success outside of the dedicated niche of players that have kept up with each new installment, but the series has recently found new life in another popular SEGA franchise—Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s Yakuza.

The inclusion of SEGA’s historic fighting series may have been a fun Easter Egg at first, but players quickly took notice of the excellent handling of emulation and coding of the series by RGGS, gradually drawing in new interest for the property once more. Striking while the iron is hot, the wild minds at SEGA have paired the talented folks of AM2 and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio together for a new iteration of Virtua Fighter 5, VF5 Ultimate Showdown

Even though Viruta Fighter 5 has waned on for 14 years in its “Street Fighter II” rut of incremental additions and improvement, the super-group effort from RGGS and AM2 goes on to prove that not only is there still plenty of mileage left in the Polygonal Puncher, but they also deliver the definitive version of the game in the process.

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QCF: Oddworld: SoulStorm

egardless of how obscure it may be in the milieu of video gaming, Oddworld has always been a name that’s commanded a dedicated following, with titles that strive to deliver a unique gameplay experience under a presentation that’s teeming with a special kind of cinematic spectacle that plays out like a Steven Spielberg meets Jim Henson passion project.

Where Oddworld Inhabitants have remained consistent with this goal, their last remake, Oddworld: New ‘n Tasty, managed to improve everything good about the original it remakes while introducing a slew of other upgrades to the overall experience, and proved that there was plenty of potential left for Abe’s adventure in the modern era of gaming.

Stepping a few feet away from the familiar absurdity of its fart-fueled roots this time around, Oddworld: SoulStorm leans a little heavier into the real themes the series had previously broached like capitalism, civil rights, racism, gentrification, and predestination.

The end-result makes for one of the most memorable titles this generation has seen in recent memory.

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Reading between the lines: A look at Instructional Booklets

he written word: society lives by it, people relax with it and students learn to grow from it. As the saying goes, the pen truly is mightier than the sword.

Many of us will never forget some of the first words that taught us the beauty (and flaws) of all that language has to offer. For me, it all started with three fondly remembered words that spark joy for many classic JRPG fans:

"You Spoony Bard!" 

This blatant mistranslation made for a hilarious conversation starter that's still worthy of many Final Fantasy IV references to this day.

Books, novels, and magazines serve as a gateway to learning how to read and write over the years. And hell, we had some great reads in the classroom over the years compared to several other generations. I have fond memories of getting into titles such as Bunnicula, the Goosebumps series, and, eventually, George Orwell's 1984 (even if it's a bit real at times now). Not to mention that it would be criminal to forget anything by Beverly Cleary, who recently passed on at the age of 104.

Still, there's another outlet that I don't credit often enough for leading to my own expanded interests in the academic world: video games.

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